A MUSICIAN has been left devastated after a laptop containing five years of work was stolen in a burglary.

Matthew Swain, 24, had been working on dance music tracks with his brother Daniel, 25, and they had stored it all on Matthew’s silver 15-inch Apple MacBook computer which was taken when crooks broke into their flat in Malborough Court, Woodfield Road, Leigh.

The boys had three big labels interested in their music and they were a month away from release.

Matthew said he only realised it was missing when he got home from work at 6.30pm last Wednesday and none of the data, including his portfolio of university work, had been backed up.

He said: “It is not just about stealing the laptop, someone has taken our careers away from us. I have no portfolio, I feel like such an idiot because I didn’t back it up.”

Also taken in the burglary was a Nikon camera but the family’s insurance company has refused to pay out as there is no sign of a break-in.

Matthew, who has just graduated after studying art at Leeds University, said he was desperate to get his work back.

He said: “I don’t know how the hell he got in, it was so clean and tidy.
“I don’t even care about the machine, it is what is on it.”

Police say anyone that has information about the burglary, or is offered the MacBook in unusual circumstances, is asked to contact Dc Gail Wilkinson of the Southend Target team on 101.