IT WAS a crime that left a young girl heartbroken.

Now a campaign has been launched in the hope of touching the conscience of the thief who stole Abigail Bannon's treasured iPod – left to her after her firefighter dad died in a blaze in a city tower block.

The Fire Brigade Union is urging the thief who stole Alan Bannon's daughter's irreplaceable iPod to have a heart and return it.

The union is so determined to coax the callous theft into giving the iPod back, that it is offering £1,000 for any information leading to the safe return of the treasured gadget.

As previously reported by the Echo, the hero firefighter's musical device was passed down to his daughter after his death in Shirley towers in 2010.

Abigail was given her dad’s iPod nano which held all of his music and would listen to it when feeling sad. She would lay in bed listening to her father’s songs which included Pink Floyd, ACDC and Korn.

After reading about the theft, the Fire Brigade Union contacted the Echo, to offer the £1,000 reward.

FBU general secretary, Matt Wrack said: “Alan Bannon spent a career keeping people safe, being there for them when they were going through the worst day of their life.

"When others were running away from fires, Alan was running toward them."

11-year-old Abigail, was given the iPod by her mother, so she could have another connection with her father, and they would often listened to it on car journeys.

“His family paid the heaviest price when they lost Alan and the iPod serves as a daily comfort to his daughter Abi. Nothing can ever replace it.

"That’s why the FBU has offered the £1,000 reward for any information leading to its return. I would urge anyone with information to come forward.

“Camaraderie within the fire service runs deep. Every firefighter is aware of the risks they face on the job.

"But they also know if the worst were to happen, their colleagues would look after their family- the Fire Brigades Union never forgets,” Mr Wrack.

Abigail was only five years old when her father died, aged 38, alongside fellow Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighter Jim Shears in April 2010 tackling a fire in Shirley Towers.

Alan's widow, Charlottle Bannon said: "It means so much that the Fire Brigade Union want to help.

"They were so supportive when Alan died, they came to visit me."

The mother said Abigail still cries when she thinks about the missing iPod, which was one of two personal possessions of her fathers that she had, the other being a cuddly toy that she sleeps with.

"It was something she could hold in her hand, something that was his and that he held," said Charlotte.

The blue, fourth-generation iPod Nano was stolen from the car, which had accidentally been left unlocked on the family’s driveway in Little Lance’s Hill, Bitterne, on January 25 between 9.15pm and 10pm.

Although the family has been able to restore the music, the music device was irreplaceable and with the support of the FBU they hope that someone will bring it back.

Abigail, who was in the car when her mother received the news about the reward, said although there is some bad in the world, there is also a lot of good.

Since the article was published the family have be inundated with offers of iPods, however the original item was irreplaceable.

Anyone with any information regarding the stolen iPod should email: Press@fbu.org.uk