Burglars broke into her home while she was seriously ill. They smashed down a door to gain entry and made off with jewellery and cash worth around £5,000.

Among the items taken was a nine carat chain with a gold pendant given to the pensioner by her late husband. The front is engraved “Ann and the back “with love, Harry.”

The woman is now out of hospital but too ill to return home and is staying with her daughter.

Detective Constable Steve Davies, the investigating officer, said: “She was devastated to learn that her home had been burgled while in hospital and her jewellery stolen.

“Much of it is of huge sentimental value – some which belonged to her late husband and some which was given to her by him. It’s a tremendous loss.

“I am hoping someone might recognise the chain and engraved pendant and come forward. They might have been offered it for sale on the cheap. It would be lovely to trace it and hand it back to its rightful owner.”

The burglary happened between the 2nd and 6th of February but details of what was stolen have only just come to light.

Several other missing pieces are quite distinctive and include an American gold necklace and bracelet matching set. The neck chain has a pendant engraved with “Ann, thanks for the fifty years”.

Other jewellery included a sapphire ring with white diamonds in the shape of a cross; a gold three stone diamond ring; a man’s gold wedding ring with a single ruby in the middle; a man’s Omega watch; another watch with “Real Madrid FC” written on the face; and a necklace, bracelet and earrings set made from stainless steel and mother of pearl links.

DC Davies added: “I am appealing for any information concerning the whereabouts of the stolen jewellery and also the identity of the offenders. Contact Shrewsbury CID by calling 101 or contact the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”