A BURGLAR stole jewellery, passports and 1,000 euros from a home in Rayleigh, while the home owner slept on the sofa.

The burglar entered Michael and Gill Driver’s Hambro Avenue bungalow through the back bathroom window sometime around midnight on Friday.

After rifling through drawers under the couple’s bed, the burglar made off with a handbag, Mrs Driver’s purse, her jewellery box, their passports and the euros, through a front window.

Mrs Driver was visiting her daughter at the time of the burglary, but was thankful her husband, asleep on the sofa, did not wake up and disturb the intruder.

She said: “When you think about what would have happened if he had woken up, then the burglary does not seem as bad – at least everyone is OK.

“It still left us shaken up though, the thought of someone in your home, going through your things, while you’re asleep in the next room, is horrible.

“I was supposed to be going on a hen do to Marbella on Friday, so if I don’t get a passport in time then my insurance won’t pay out.

“The cash was for that and another holiday later this year, so it’s a lot of money to be stolen.”

Jewellery the burglar deemed worthless was found dumped in a neighbour’s garden, with Mrs Driver’s credit and debit cards also found discarded nearby.

Mrs Driver’s handbag contained about £50 in cash that she had started to collect for a colleague at Basildon Hospital’s 60th birthday.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Det con Sam Boyd at Southend CID on 101.”