A Kingston widower whose home was burgled while on holiday, is appealing for the safe return of his late wife's beloved pedigree rabbit.

Jeff Jacobs and his late wife Tracy, bought Noose, a giant French Lop rabbit, 18 months ago as Tracy had always wanted a pedigree pet.

Sadly, Tracy, 32, died from a severe asthma attack on Christmas Day last year, and Jeff is now offering a £100 reward for the safe return of Noose, worth around £250.

Jeff was on holiday in Cyprus on Thursday, July 15, when his brother-in-law Ian, who was feeding his three animals, rang to say two were missing and one of the sheds had been broken into.

They were kept in a tiered hutch, made by Tracy, in the back garden. The guinea pig was still in the hutch and Ian found the missing ferret in a nearby alleyway, but the large two-and-a-half foot, long grey rabbit was nowhere to be seen. Nothing was stolen from the shed.

Jeff, 36, from King Henry's Road, Kingston, said: "The rabbit was one of my wife's favourite pets. She got him when he was just eight weeks old. I don't know if he's been stolen or just run off, but it's just another loss for me and I want him back.

"The rabbit doesn't like being picked up, so would have kicked out. Because of its giant size, it needs to be kept in a larger than normal hutch so anyone who is keeping him in a standard hutch is doing more harm than has already been caused.

"Petty theft is bad enough, but to involve animals is just stupid. If nothing else, other pet owners should be made aware of it."

Tracy and Jeff were engaged in July 1990 and wed in June 2001. The animals were taken between 11am on Wednesday, July 14, and 4pm the next day.

Call police on 020 8541 1212, or the newsdesk on 020 8329 9330, if you have any information about Noose.

rclifford@london.newsquest.co.uk