A thief stole a family heirloom from a chapel inside a hospice where people grieve for their loved ones.

Staff and patients at The Martlets Hospice in Wayfield Avenue, Hove, were distraught when they realised the antique carving of the Lord's Prayer that hung on their chapel wall had disappeared.

The chapel contains a book of remembrance of all the people who have ever died at the hospice and is used regularly by family members of past and present patients and staff to mourn and pay their respects.

It is believed the theft was either carried out by a visitor to the hospice or carefully planned by an outsider, as the entrance to the chapel is in the main corridor of the hospice and to get to it, visitors must walk past the reception desk, where they must sign in.

The carving was also hung behind the chapel door and a visitor would be unlikely to see it unless they knew it was there.

Martlets staff and the family of John Manser, who did the etching in 1912, are appealing to the culprit to return the precious artefact, anonymously if preferred.

Patient services manager Jenny Muster, 59, said: "We are very disappointed.

"Firstly, it's a beautiful piece of work and we are all fond of it like we would be if it was in our own home.

"Then the fact that somebody has come in and done something like this is so upsetting.

"It may be that someone was clever and planned it and got someone to distract the receptionist.

"On the other hand, people who visit here tend to be very emotional for all sorts of reasons and sometimes people behave a little unpredictably in that situation.

"It's just very sad as the chapel is a very special place.

"We would just love it back, no matter how."

Mr Manser's son Cyril, a former handyman at hospice, donated the carving to the charity when it opened its new premises in 1996.

It was valued shortly afterwards at between £5,000 and £6,000.

Mr Manser, 80, and his family are devastated by the loss of the work, which had passed through generations over the decades before being donated to The Martlets for its chapel, which they thought would make a worthy resting place for it.

Mr Manser, of Carden Avenue, Brighton, said: "I am very sad that it's gone.

"Who would want to steal a thing like that?

"It is very fancy and must have taken my father a long time.

"It stayed in the family for years before we agreed to give it to the chapel.

"I hope we get it back."