A POUCH containing almost £30,000 worth of jewellery has gone missing in Knutsford.

Elizabeth Burns, who was visiting Knutsford, said she last saw her jewels while shopping in Booths supermarket.

"I know they were in a pouch in the bottom of my handbag but when I got home later that night they were gone," she said.

Mrs Burns, 77, lived in Ladies Mile until 16 years ago when she and husband Bill moved to Cyprus.

"We never bothered with insurance," she said.

Mrs Burns, who is currently visiting relatives in Britain, kept the Swiss gold watch, two gold rings including her diamond engagement ring and three gold chains in her handbag during her trip.

"Bill bought me all the jewellery but there was an 18 carat gold half sovereign that my grandma gave to me when I was christened," she said.

"Something like that can never be replaced."

Mr and Mrs Burns moved to Pathos after buying a plot of land where they built their own home.

This week Knutsford police advised the mother of three to scour jewellery shops in the area in case any of the items have been sold.

"It is not stolen so we cannot treat it as a crime investigation," said a spokesman. "All we can do is record it."

Mrs Burns, though, is hoping to find the jewellery before she returns to Cyprus in two weeks after visiting her daughter in Scotland.

"I will be lost without it and would ask anyone who may have seen it in or around the shop or the town to get in touch," she said.