Bongani Khumalo has appealed for the safe return of a particularly sentimental item stolen from his Colchester hotel room on Sunday night (May 3).

The 28-year-old defender, who has been on loan at Colchester United since January, revealed how his joy at helping the Essex club retain their League One status on the last day of the Football League season quickly turned to heartbreak when he returned from a celebratory night out with team-mates to find his hotel room had been ransacked and his possessions taken.

Among the items stolen was a Bible bequeathed to him by his late mother – a treasured possession that he says means more to him than any of the material goods he was robbed of.

Bongani explained in his own words what happened on Sunday night and issued a plea for his Bible to be returned: “I arrived back at the hotel after what was a great win for a bit of a rest and then went out to meet up with the boys from about 8pm. When I came back later that evening, everything in my room had gone, including my car keys and my car.

“All my possessions had been taken including some sentimental items, one being a Bible that my late mother left me. It still had her notes and everything – that was always something that I’ve held dear to me.

“I don’t know – if there’s any universe where someone would find the good nature to just leave it back at the hotel or something, I’d be so grateful because that’s something that can’t be replaced.”

Bongani’s copy of the Bible has maroon covers and is slightly bigger than A5 size.

Hannah Richardson from Essex Police said: "If anyone has any information about this incident, or has it in their power to return this extremely sentimental item and the other stolen possessions, please contact us by calling 101."