A woman is desperately calling for people to help track her wedding and engagement rings after burglars raided her home and stole them.

Gina Strachan, 46, of Pound Lane, Benfleet, came home from work to find that her home had been ransacked.

Ms Strachan said when she parked her car at the driveway she noticed the sensor lights from her backyard were switched on - indicating that somebody had activated them only moments earlier.

Ms Strachan believed the culprit had jimmied through the front door to gain entry into her house.

She was devastated to see that the burglars had stolen her wedding ring, which she had left on a ring holder on top of the microwave.

She said: “The wedding ring has a real sentimental value for me because I designed the ring myself, and it’s been with me for six years. The ring is white gold and J size.

“I am no longer married, but because I’ve designed it myself it just means a lot to me. The diamond on the engagement ring was given to me by my aunt as a gift and it is 50 years old.

“The engagement ring is 9ct white gold, single solitaire and it’s not a fully one carat diamond.

“The rings are perhaps worth more than £1,000. Whatever happens I would never pawn them.

“I have quite a few rings. Sometimes I change rings to wear and I left my wedding and engagement ring on a ring holder on top of the microwave.

“I’ve been saying to myself if only I hadn’t changed rings on Friday and for a moment I kept thinking it was my fault.

“But I shouldn’t think that way because people shouldn’t be burgling other people’s homes in the first place.

“I’m not entirely sure how the thief got in, but I believe it is through the front door. When I came in I noticed they used the key to open the backdoor, and locked it. They must’ve left through there.”

Ms Strachan said the thief has also ransacked her room, and rummaged through her drawers, cupboards and threw her clothes all over the room.

She also had two Pandora rings, which were presents from her children, and a pair of earrings her mother had given her, taken.

She said: “I am very lucky because I could’ve been harmed. I’ve lived here for four years, it has always been nice and quiet. But now I don’t feel safe anymore.

“I know it’s a long shot but I got to try and find them. If anyone has seen them please call the police and quote 42/19573/18.” The burglary happened on Friday between 8.30am and 6.30pm.