PHOTOS of a woman’s dead husband have been stolen by a conman who posed as a contractor.

The victim, a 52-year-old woman, was working at her farm in Wellington Drive, Tyldesley, when a man asked if he could park his car in her yard.

He claimed to be visiting work colleagues who were working nearby.

She agreed but minutes later the man was seen driving off at high speed.

The woman then noticed her handbag had been stolen from the back seat of her car.

The bag contained photographs and bookmarks that had been made for her late husband’s funeral earlier this year.

The incident happened on Tuesday, May 20, at 2.45pm.

PC Will Lloyd said: “The lady sadly lost her husband earlier this year and to keep his memory close by, kept photographs and bookmarks that had been made for his funeral in her bag.

“She is deeply upset they have been taken and she desperately wants them to be reunited with them.

“I would appeal directly to the person who stole her bag to please return the personal items.

"They have no value to you but are of high sentimental value to her.

“I would also appeal to anyone who may have seen a man fitting this description driving a Peugeot 206 at the time of the theft to contact police.”

The man was white, in his 30s, with dark blonde hair.

He was slim, spoke with a local accent, wore a hi-vis jacket and white hard hat and drove a blue Peugeot 206 with some minor damage.

Anyone with information can call police on 0161 856 7225 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.