A widow has been left heartbroken after metal thieves stole her late husband’s beloved bench from outside her Wolverhampton home.

Grandmother Catherine Pearce, aged 55, described the raiders as “lousy scumbags” after they took the wrought iron bench, which she has kept as a memorial since her husband Charles’ death at the age of 63 from a long illness in 2006.

She has now become the latest victim of the metal theft epidemic across the Black Country. Rising metal prices have been triggered by construction booms in the Far East. Mrs Pearce married her husband in 1993 and has had the bench ever since.

He was not able to work due to illness, and used to spend a lot of time sat outside the couple’s home in Foster Road, Low Hill.

Mrs Pearce, who has three children and six grandchildren, was alerted to the missing bench by one of her daughters just before 11am on Sunday.

The bench was due to be restored in the coming weeks to repair weather damage to the wooden seating.

Mrs Pearce said today: “I kept it as his bench after his death and everybody knows it is his bench.

“Nobody’s ever touched it before and that’s what makes me think whoever’s taken it isn’t local.

“It’s one of the main things I remember him by and I keep crying about what’s happened.

“I’ve asked everyone around and nobody has heard anything. It must have taken two people to pick it up and carry it away.

“I’ve phoned scrapyards and I’ve spoken to scrap men, but I’ve heard nothing.

“It’s got so much sentimental value and I ask anyone who knows where it is or who took it to get in touch with police.”

PCSO Kelly Bradburn, from Bushbury South and Low Hill neighbourhood policing team, said: “Hopefully whoever knows what’s happened to this bench will see this appeal by Mrs Pearce, realise the sentimental value of the item and do the right thing by letting us know where we can find it.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 0345 113 5000 or Crimestoppers  on 0800 555 111.