A pensioner has appealed for burglars to return a picture of his mother taken in a raid on his house while he was in a nursing home.

Widower Harold Baker, 78, had his home stripped of personal mementoes.

Among the items to go was his only picture of his mother, who died when he was eight.

And as well as electrical items, burglars took a wedding ring and jewellery which had belonged to his wife, Bettina, who died 13 years ago.

Mr Baker, who now lives in The Links Nursing Home in Killinghall Road, Bradford Moor, said: "It's really upset me, I just feel angry about it all the time.

"The picture of my mother was the only one I have and it was lovely.

"I was going to donate all my valuables to the RSPCA but they've taken the lot."

Also taken from the house in Thornbury were antique furniture, miniature cannon, a clock which belonged to Mr Baker's grandfather and a Victorian Singer sewing machine.

The house was raided twice between November 13 and 16.

Mr Baker, a retired weaver, was taken into Lynfield Mount Hospital in June suffering from depression. He also has benign prostate cancer.

While he was in hospital, his tabby cat Jimi died. She was being fed by neighbours but was frightened to go into the house when Mr Baker was not there.

He said: "Anything which could be sold in a second-hand shop has gone. I feel so bad I don't want to go on, but that would be giving up."

Inspector Paul Jeffrey, of Odsal police, appealed to anyone with information to come forward.

He said: "Burglaries are traumatic at any time of life but are especially hard for the elderly to cope with. It's the senseless theft of purely sentimental items which make this such a cynical thing to do."

The picture of Mr Barker's mother was in a 12ins oval wooden frame.

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