A REWARD of £3,000 is now on offer to help track down treasured photographs of a young mum who died three years ago.

The pictures of Lesley Bird with her husband Justin and their two children Millie and Josh were stolen when burglars targeted the Bird family home in Tiptoe near New Milton earlier this month.

Furniture worth several thousand pounds was taken, plus the precious family pictures which had been hidden in a drawer for safekeeping.

The theft has devastated the Birds, who are still trying to come to terms with the loss of mum Lesley from breast cancer at the age of just 31.

Justin Bird's father Andy, who with him runs AJ Motors of Downton, immediately put up a reward of £2,000 for information leading to successful prosecution of the burglars. That sum has now been increased by another £1,000 by John Willson of nearby Everton Garage.

Mr Willson said he had topped up the reward because of his "utter disgust" at the burglary which had caused so much upset - especially to the Bird children, aged five and seven.

Justin Bird said: "This has really hit the kids. My memories are all in my head but Millie and Josh were too young when Lesley died and they really need those photos.

"Lesley had put together a collection of 'happy-time' pictures for them so they would remember her, even though she would never see them grow up."

Justin added that though several weeks have passed since the burglary, the family still hoped that the photos - mostly framed enlargements and a blue leather wedding album - will be found.

"They may have been dumped somewhere, so if anyone finds them please send them back to us.

"They are of no value to anyone else, but so very important to us," he said.

"We have had so many messages of support since the story went in the paper and we thank everyone for their good wishes, but so far we have not had the one call we really want to hear - that the photos have been found."