Stolen book of late mother's writings returned to owner

A student has spoken of her relief at being reunited with a book her mother had prepared for her before she died.

The precious memento was inside a suitcase stolen from Libby Day's car as she was about to travel home from her university accommodation in Nottingham.

It was returned by police who found her suitcase while searching a property following an arrest in the city.

Miss Day said she was "so happy and grateful" to have the irreplaceable book back.

The 21-year-old accounting and finance student said she had been left "distraught" by the theft as she was preparing to travel back to Hertfordshire on 12 June.

"The suitcase contained a really valuable book to me that my mum had prepared before she passed away a year ago," she said.

"Clearly that would have been of no value to the person who took it, but it was of incredible sentimental value to me.

"My housemates and I searched the area hoping whoever had taken it had dumped it somewhere but we couldn't find it.

"My dad came up to help and we searched but we couldn't find it. I was devastated.

"The book is the only thing I cared about - it was irreplaceable. I can replace clothes but could never replace the book."

She had accepted she would never see the book again when a few days later police made contact to say the suitcase had been found with her name on an old airport tag.

"I was so happy and grateful when they told me that they'd found it. I left at 06:00 the next day to drive back up to Nottingham and pick it up," she said.

"I was talking to my friends about this and one of them said 'I just wish I could give the officers who found it a hug' and that's how I feel about it."

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