A university student has lost almost three years of work after thieves broke into his car and stole his bag.

Mark Charles, 27, a full-time PhD student, had four vital laboratory books in the bag, which was taken from his Nissan Micra.

The vehicle was in the car park at the University of Sussex sports complex at Falmer when the theft happened at about 6pm last Friday.

The books took three years to compile.

He said: "When I come in each day I detail any work I do in these books. I am in my final year and I have to write a PhD thesis based on work I have done in the lab.

"I will have to repeat some of the experiments or try to remember them if it is possible.

"I am gutted about it. They are not of any use to anyone except me. I have spent a lot of time searching the area all around with no luck. They must have been dumped somewhere.

"The bag also had four text books which can be replaced but it is annoying they have been taken. One was a library book.

"I would ask if anyone has the bag and the books or has seen them could they hand them in to either the police or the security office of the university."

"The bag is black with Roche written in blue on it. Three of the lab books are green and the other is blue."

Anyone with information should call the police on 0845 6070999.