A MAN has been left ‘heartbroken’ after a thief smashed into his car and stole his mother’s ashes.

Verwood resident Paul Nash was in the process of moving him and his family across the country to Scotland when his car was targeted in a pub car park.

Despite putting most of his belongings into storage, Paul decided to keep his mother’s ashes close to him during the move.

However, after returning from ‘grabbing a bite to eat’ at The Queen’s Head in Burley on Wednesday, December 6, Paul found ‘glass everywhere’.

“We didn’t actually realise it was our car at first, we thought we’d better be careful when we drove out,” said Paul.

“Then as we were driving out, I heard the engine still as if the door was open and realised that the window had been smashed in and in the passenger seat, the two cases were missing.”

He added: “We didn’t realise straight away because we were in shock at what had happened, and then we started doing a mental inventory and very quickly realised that her ashes were in there.”

Paul, who has lived in Verwood for 25 years, lost his mother Maria Virginia six years ago and is now appealing for the person to return the ashes.

He said  that his ‘heart is broken’ and ‘all he wants is his mother back’.

He is offering to keep the person anonymous in return for returning his mother's ashes to him, along with other sentimental items which ‘mean a lot to them but are useless to you’.

“I don’t want to put any barriers in the way of them not coming forward,” said Paul.

“Obviously they won’t want to divulge their identity, it will be traceable, so that’s all I could think of, was just withhold their number and send me a text.”

Paul described the urn that holds the ashes as being purple, about six inches by five inches on the base, and around 12 inches tall. 

He is urging the person responsible to contact him anonymously on 07894 491070.