Worthing pensioners' emotional plea for return of missing heirlooms

A pair of pensioners who found new love later in life have pleaded with thieves to return their sentimental garden ornaments.

Peter Smith, 83, and Pam Farrell, 79, of Broadwater Street East in Worthing, met at ballroom dancing five years ago.

A year previously, Peter’s wife Alice had sadly passed away after suffering from dementia but had left her husband with two large garden ornaments – a frog and an owl – as keepsakes.

As Peter and Pam’s romance blossomed, the pair moved in together and Peter brought the ornaments with him, adding to it a meerkat from Pam’s son, marrying his old love with the new in a flowerpatch in the garden.

Heartbreakingly, last Friday morning Pam drew the curtains to look at the ornaments as she usually does, and found they were missing.

“I would open the curtains and say something to them every morning,” she said.

“But they were gone. I don’t know why anyone would take them as they have no monetary value – they’re just sentimental.

“My son gave us the meerkat, and it was nice for us to have something together.”

The couple have appealed to whoever took the ornaments to return them to their rightful home.

Peter said the ornaments were a 'great reminder' of the time spent with his late wife.

"I hope somebody will have a conscience and perhaps return them," he said.

Sussex Police confirmed a report of the incident had been received.