Albion FA Cup medals are stolen from safe

The FA Cup winner's medals of a father and son who were the backbone of West Bromwich Albion for more than a century have been looted in a burglary at a Staffordshire house, leaving their family devastated.

Thieves broke into the Great Wyrley home of 66-year-old Pam Everiss while she was on holiday, also taking thousands of pounds of jewellery. One of the medals belonged to her late father-in-law Alan Everiss, a director and secretary with West Bromwich Albion over 66 years.

It was presented to him after the club's Wembley triumph over Everton in 1968.

The other belonged to his father Fred Everiss, the longest serving football manager in history, who was running the club in 1931 when the Baggies won the FA Cup for the first time, beating Birmingham City in the final.

The precious heirlooms were locked in a safe which the thieves wrenched from a bedroom wall after breaking in through a front bedroom window.

Mrs Everiss, who runs the Meteor garage in Lombard Street, West Bromwich, discovered the break-in when she returned from Spain on Tuesday. She is the widow of David Everiss. He was the son of Alan Everiss, who died in 1999.

"I didn't notice at first because they didn't touch the ground floor. It was only when I went upstairs that I saw the damage.

"It's so upsetting. As well as the cup medals, all the jewellery my late husband had given me over 40 years was stored in the safe. I'm devastated ."

Among the jewellery stolen were two double pearl necklaces, a platinum choker, ruby earrings and a diamond engagement ring that belonged to her mother.

Son Chris, a 38-year-old digital marketing manager, also of Great Wyrley, said the stolen property was of huge sentimental value.

"We're very proud of the family's long association with Albion. The medals used to be kept in a bank vault – I didn't see them until I was 13. But, equally, the jewellery meant everything to my mother."