A woman has spoken of her heartbreak after her mother’s gold jewellery – a gift from her late husband – was stolen while she was a patient on Bradford’s Covid-19 ward.

Chand Bibi was a patient on the ward at Bradford Royal Infirmary last November when she was ill with coronavirus.

During a blood pressure check, the 76-year-old was asked to remove gold bangles she was wearing around her wrist. Following the check, Ms Bibi realised the bangles were no longer present.

The bangles were given to Ms Bibi 35 years ago by her late husband and are worth between £3,000 and £5,000, giving them high monetary and sentimental value.

Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident as theft – an investigation Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is supporting.

Ansar Miah, Ms Bibi’s daughter, said her mother, who has now recovered from Covid-19, cries every day about the incident.

She said she was appalled that her elderly mother, who was in a vulnerable situation while fighting the virus, had suffered further turmoil.

She said: “My mum was told to take both of her bangles off."

"The bracelets were a gift to my mother from my late father about 35 years ago.

“This shouldn’t be happening in our hospitals.

“Thankfully, my mum has recovered from Covid-19 but she is crying constantly about her bangles. She cries every day.”

Police have launched an investigation into the incident to reunite Ms Bibi with her stolen bangles.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Police are investigating following a theft of jewellery from a ward at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

“The incident happened on November 18 last year, between 9am and midday.

“The victim, a woman in her 70s, was a patient at the hospital and was having her blood pressure taken when she was asked to remove her gold bangles.

“The bangles were not returned to the lady and have not been seen since.

“Enquires have been conducted by police and also staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary to reunite the sentimental jewellery with their rightful owner.”

A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Due to an ongoing police investigation, which the Trust is supporting, we are unable to comment further.”

It is not the first time that investigations into jewellery thefts at BRI have been launched.

In 2017, police revealed that officers had spoken to the hospital regarding "reports of thefts of personal items."

At that time, several families had come forward to give heartbreaking details of how they believe loved ones have fallen victim to thieves at the hospital.

They included a 69-year-old widow who claimed £8,000 worth of jewellery was stolen, an 85-year-old woman with pneumonia who had her wedding ring taken and another 85-year-old whose two gold wedding bands disappeared while she was on the stroke ward.

Anyone with any information about the latest incident can contact police on101 quoting crime reference number 13200578694 or by using the live chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website. Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.