A PENSIONER is offering a substantial reward in a bid to track down thieves who have stolen £50,000 worth of jewellery, coins and cash from her home.

Mrs Carol Shead, 62 and her partner Ernie Yeoman, 74, spoke out yesterday (FRIDAY) about the devastating theft from their Peterlee home.

The stolen items included Mr Yeoman's lifetime collection of coins, items of hand made jewellery and his £10,000 eighteen carat gold Rolex watch.

Mrs Shead lost a large collection of personal jewellery diamond, emerald and sapphire rings along with a host of gold chains, earrings and pendants.

It was on October 9, while Mr Yeoman was out at work, that for the first time in 18 months, Mrs Shead decided to go out for the day with friends.

"It was a very rare outing, I never leave the house, but just for once I decided to go out shopping,'' she told The Northern Echo.

The couple's two Labrador dogs were locked up in the kitchen of the detached house at the time.

And on her return home, Mrs Shead made the shock discovery of the theft.

Almost every piece of jewellery had gone, as well as four wooden cases containing collections of solid silver coins and money boxes full of £2, £1 and 50p coins.

The couple said yesterday that in addition to Mr Yeoman's coin collection they had decided that the best way to invest their money was in gold jewellery.

Mrs Shead said the theft had left them devastated. "It has been an absolute nightmare and we are just hoping that by offering a substantial reward it will alert the public if they are offered any of our items.''

Among the more easily identifiable pieces is a miniature handmade 9ct gold shotgun pendant which opens to reveal a bullet, a large cluster diamond ring, a 24ct Krugerrand in a gold mounting and a ring featuring a square cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds Police at Peterlee yesterday confirmed that investigations into the theft are continuing and anyone with any information or who is offered any items of jewellery they think may be stolen is asked to telephone 08456060365.