We would like to express our thanks to the burglar who visited our house in Franklin Road, Worthing, last Thursday.

We are very grateful for the neat and tidy state you left the house in - except the badly damaged back door, of course.

Your visit has also prompted us to do many jobs we had been talking about for a long while - thank you for the push.

We expect you have found out we do not buy expensive jewellery or keep cash in the house so it is especially disappointing you chose to take all our daughter's special treasures - the gifts she had been given over the years.

They each had vast sentimental value but, strangely, little monetary value. You also chose to take the two rings we exchanged as gifts last Christmas - again, not of vast value.

But each of the above had memories attached. You will never be able to take those from us - the love they were given with will always be safe in our house.

There is one treasure you took from us and, sadly, you don't even know you took it - the ability to escape the worries of the world in our own safe home.

We hope you have the Christmas you deserve. Perhaps you can make ours special by reuniting the jewellery and watches with their memories.

-D and D, Durrington