Burglars raided a home while the owners were on holiday and stole their prized possession – a 103- year-old antique lamp.

Thieves completely ransackedaWickford home while a 62-year-old woman and a 69- year-old man were visiting Suffolk for their only weekend away this year.

When they returned, they discovered burglars had stolen five televisions, two laptops, an iPad, crystal glass tableware and even three teddy bears.

However, the couple were most devastated to see the family heirloom, a brass Tiffany lamp, which usually stood on the living room windowsill, had disappeared.

The grandmother, who is retired and asked not to be identified, said: “As we were coming up the drive, we could see the shed doors were wide open and the French doors were open too.

“Everything was all over the place. Every bit of clothing was out of the wardrobes and on the floor.

“I am sure they knew what they were doing, because they took all the expensive things.

“The lamp was my grandmother’s wedding present in 1912. I have never known life without it.

“It was always in my grandmother’s house until she died and then in my mum’s house.

Since she died, it has been in my house until last weekend.

“I don’t know how much the lamp is worth, as I have never had it valued, but it is priceless to me.

“It was an old brass lamp, and some of the brass had rubbed off, but that was part of its charm.

“It’s very upsetting.”

During the raid, between noon on Friday, October 2, and 6pm the following Sunday, the burglars also took gardening tools including hedge cutters and leaf blowers.

Anyone with information should call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.