Children find Sheffield burglary victim's jewellery

  • Published
Media caption,

Doris Wilcock said the children were her heroes

A woman who had jewellery stolen in a burglary three years ago has been reunited with it thanks to children who found it in woodland.

Doris Wilcock, 93, from Sheffield, said she was over the moon after South Yorkshire Police returned some of the stolen items.

They were found by Tyler and Amelia Exelby, who thought they had found some lost treasure.

Mrs Wilcock met with the children to thank them.

She told Tyler, 10, and Amelia, nine,: "You are my heroes."

Jewellery box
Image caption,

Police traced the items back to Doris after they were handed in

Speaking to the BBC about the returned items, she said: "It's mostly little things, not of much value, but I like them."

She said sadly a pendant given to her by her late husband, Doug, as a wedding present was not amongst the haul, but added it meant a lot that the children had handed in the items they found.

Tyler said he thought they had found some treasure under a blue tarpaulin in woodland.

He said they took it home and their dad contacted the police, who traced Mrs Wilcock.

Doris and Doug Wilcock on their wedding dayImage source, Doris
Image caption,

The items were not of great value and were mostly sentimental

Tyler and Amelia Exelby
Image caption,

The children found the stolen items whilst playing in woodland near their home in Sheffield

PCSO Michelle Tatterton, from South Yorkshire Police, said the children had done an amazing job.

She described returning the items to Doris as "an emotional and very rewarding end to a busy shift".

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