A war hero’s grieving mother was robbed of her phone of her precious final memories of her son.

Jacqui Janes, whose 20-year-old son Jamie , was killed in Afghanistan  in October 2009 ,  was robbed in Hangleton on Monday. The thief stole her mobile phone which contained the only copy of a video of her last Christmas with Jamie.

Ms Janes, 54, was walking her dog on a track just off the South Downs just north of the A27 footbridge in Hangleton and next to the West Hove golf course around 1.30pm on Monday when a man approached her pushed her to the ground and her mobile phone was prized from her hands.

Ms Janes said: "They can have the phone, that doesn't matter at all, I just want the sim card back. The background of the phone is a picture of Jamie hugging me, that's all I've got of my beautiful son. Please find it in your heart to hand the phone or sim card in."

She begged her attacker “please just get my sim card, as there is a video of myself and Jamie the Christmas before Jamie was killed.”

Ms Janes’ partner Allan said she had been left “bit shaken but unhurt apart from her pride” following the attack.

They are now desperately appealing to the thief’s better nature and asking him to send her irreplaceable video back.

One of Jamie’s former school friends , Harry Brooks, said he was appalled to hear what had happened.

“It’s just awful, I just hope someone can help get the video back.

“It must be so upsetting for Jacqui as it’s just coming up to the fifth anniversary of Jamie’s death as well.”

Grenadier Guard Jamie was killed when he stepped on a Taliban improvised explosive device while leading a foot patrol near Nad e-Ali district centre in Helmand Province.

His colleagues battled in vain to save him as they fought off a ferocious insurgent ambush that wounded three other soldiers.

Guardsman Janes joined the Army at 16 and was two weeks into his second tour of Afghanistan when he died.

Sussex Police have now issued a description of Ms Janes' attacker.

He is described as a white man with stubble, aged in his late 20s and stocky build around 5' 8". He was wearing a distinctive grey hooded coat with stripes down the arms dark trousers and dark footwear and smelt strongly of alcohol.

Detective sergeant Simon Dunn added: "The victim's son was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 and the mobile phone memory contained precious memories of her son which she is desperate to have returned.

"This robbery happened is broad daylight and there were people out walking their dogs and the suspect ran off towards Hangleton shops.

Anyone with information or saw what happened is asked to contact police on 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 762 of 15/9.