A ROYAL British Legion cornet valued at £1,000 has been stolen from a car parked outside a Worcestershire home.

Thieves smashed the lock on the driver's side of the Ford Sierra then grabbed the Sovereign instrument from the boot.

They escaped with the cornet, in a maroon and dark brown case sporting the letters of makers Boosey and Hawkes in gold lettering, overnight on Wednesday, December 6.

Simon Clifford, who plays with the Kidderminster Royal British Legion Band, had parked his car outside his Waterside Grange home in the town.

But when he came to use the vehicle in the morning, he discovered the theft.

"The lock had been smashed off the driver's side and that was the only thing that was gone from the car," he said.

"They even left the music stand.

"I don't know what they would do with it, because there can only be a couple of people in the county that play the cornet."

Anyone with information should contact Kidderminster police on 01562 820888 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.