A 92-year-old man has made a desperate appeal for the return of a photograph of his late wife after he lost the wallet it was in.

Robert Lucas, of Hawksdown Road, Walmer, had been into Deal on Friday, January 2 to buy some groceries as well as collect his pension.

During the time he was boarding the No 82 bus in South Street to return home and finding a seat, his black wallet went missing. Mr Lucas believes it may have been stolen.

“The bus was full and I took my bus pass out of my wallet and put my wallet back into the side pocket of my anorak, to sort it out after sitting down,” he said.

“After the bus had moved on I felt for my wallet but it was missing. I can only think someone took it from my pocket following me or the person sitting next to me on the bus took it.”

The former hairdresser, who moved to Walmer 30 years ago to enjoy his retirement, was carrying cash, bank cards, his driving licence, and the black and white photograph of his wife, Peggy, who died eight years ago.

He said: “It’s a little photograph. It’s a little bit bigger than a passport photo. It’s of Peggy when she was about 25 or 26.

“I used to look at it quite a lot.”

Mr Lucas, who was using a walking stick as an aid, didn’t tell anybody on the bus what had happened but arrived home and called his son.

He said: “I was in a bit of a mess. I thought, ‘What shall I do?’”

His son assisted him in cancelling all of his cards and calling the police.

Mr Lucas has macular degeneration and is 75% blind. Dialing numbers on a telephone is an almost impossible task. The father-of-two also suffers with a heart condition.

He said: “I wish the person who took it would return the photograph. If they’re hard up they can keep the money, but let me have the photograph back.”

The incident hasn’t stopped Mr Lucas making trips to the town but he said he is more careful now.

He said: “I make sure my pocket is buttoned up.”

If you have or find the wallet or photograph please call the Mercury newsdesk on 01304 365526.