THIEVES have ransacked a family home, stealing priceless medals from an Army veteran.

Kevin Kemp, 58, and wife Carol, 42, were devastated to return from work to their Vange home and find burglars had broken in through a back window.

The intruders got past the couples German shepherd and labrador dogs and rummaged through drawers in the house, in Beatty Lane.

They then helped themselves to gold jewellery, three military medals and a nineties Sony video camera and irreplaceable videotapes of family scenes .

Mr Kemp was awarded medals for long service, general service and good conduct during his time as an engineer in the Army.

He left in 1995 after nearly three decades, during which he served in to Germany, Canada and Hong Kong.

The couple’s niece, Debbie Glover, 32, spoke to the Echo on their behalf.

She said: “We're all surprised the dogs didn't make loads of noise to scare the burglars off.

“They’re normally really wary whenever someone they don’t know goes into the house.

“They don’t seem hurt but they’re really shaken up, so we’re worried about what may have happened to them.

“My uncle is a strong man. He’s really upset about all this, though he's trying not to show it. It’s not about the money. These are items they can never replace. He worked so hard during his time in the Army.

"My aunty is devastated someone has been in her bedroom and has rummaged through all her drawers. She’s really looked after her jewellery and always hid it whenever they went on holiday.

“The video tapes are of us children when we were little, They’re not worth anything to anyone else.”

The medals are all engraved “K J Kemp”. The camera was in a blue, brown and burgundycoloured bag.

The burglars broke in between 9am and 3pm last Wednesday.

Anyone with information about it is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.