A COUPLE has made an emotional appeal and offered a £2,500 reward for the return of a precious carved figure of a young girl stolen from their home.

Artist and sculptor Alan 'Buddy' Brook had lovingly created the wooden child holding a bunch of flowers, and after his partner, Anita Berry, lost their baby daughter during pregnancy, the knee-high figure became poignantly known as 'Katie.'

"That's what I would have called our daughter," Ms Berry said.

"I was hoping we'd have a daughter as Buddy has two sons from his previous relationship. I was 40 and that was my last chance. She'd have been 11-years-old now.

"Buddy had made the figure a few years earlier and I started calling her Katie.

"She has always stood on a table in our kitchen and emotionally, and only to us, she's priceless," Ms Berry said.

Retired Mr Brook, 67, was the youngest-ever student at Bradford Art College and now creates wood carvings of phenomenal and intricate detail.

"I started at the college aged 14 in 1962 and did a four-year course.

"Then I ended up digging roads for the Gas Board and met Anita at ice-skating classes in Bradford and we've been together for 23 years.

"Even while working, I carried on doing art of all types in my spare time."

His talent means the couple's large Victorian home on Station Road, Baildon, is packed with Mr Brook's portraits and paintings.

But pride of place goes to huge carvings where tree branches are transformed using delicate craftsmanship.

"My plan was to finally get my first ever exhibition together when we came back from a holiday in Tenerife.

"I have approached the Cartwright Hall in Manningham, as I'd like to say thank you to the city that had the faith to train me at taxpayers' expense all those years ago," Mr Brook said.

"But then we came back ten days ago and found a window smashed at the back and that we'd been burgled.

"We just feel non-plussed, shocked.

"The whole place had been tidily ransacked and they took some jewellery and an Apple Mac computer and our car, and for some reason they took Katie.

"We just hope she's safe, not been burnt or thrown on a tip and that we can have her back where she belongs," Mr Brook said.

The couple is offering a £2,500 reward in return for information passed to the police which leads to the carving's recovery.

A West Yorkshire police spokesman said: "The burglary happened between July 9 and August 2, which is when it was reported to us.

"Suspects have entered via the rear of property and taken, along with the carving, a Nissan Murano, an Apple iMac computer and some jewellery.

"Enquiries are continuing, anyone with information should call Bradford District CID on 101, quoting 13150311120."