THIEVES have raided the Hampshire country estate of tragic MP Michael Colvin and wife Nichola.

The couple died when a blaze ripped through their home in February. The fire was so severe that most of Tangley House, near Andover was destroyed.

Raiders have targeted the gardens to steal statues worth hundreds of pounds.

The theft has left the Romsey MP's children distraught as they had already lost treasured mementoes and heirlooms in the blaze.

Jamie Cayzer-Colvin, 35, told of their heartache at the raid in which three statues were taken. One, a statue of a boy, was brought by his parents 30 years ago. The others, a pair of griffins, were passed down from his grandfather.

"Bearing in mind the fact we lost so many items in the fire, this is quite hard to take," he said.

"It has been nice to walk around the garden as there are a lot of memories there. But after what has happened we have had to pick up all the other things in it and put them under lock and key."

Mr Cayzer-Colvin added that the family had been overwhelmed by public support since the tragedy.

"It has been amazing the amount of support we have had from all sorts of people," he said.

"My sisters and I have got young families of our own and that has helped us a little as we have had to get on with day-to-day issues, but things are never the same."

Detective superintendent Paul Taylor, from Andover police, said the raid happened between 3.30pm on Wednesday, October 11, and 5.30pm the following day.

Anyone with information should telephone 0845 045 4545.