A FAMILY has thanked an anonymous person who returned a stolen saxophone after it was bought from a pawn shop.

Instruments belonging to the Parker family were stolen during a raid on a friend's garage, where they were being temporarily stored.

The haul, which included the family's brass trumpet, brass trombone, a half size violin and a three quarter size violin as well as daughter Autumn’s cherished alto saxophone.

The thieves sold all of the instruments to Cash Converters, in High Street, Colchester.

Although the family was able to salvage the trumpet, trombone and the two violins, by the time they contacted the shop, the saxophone had been sold for £99.

But after an appeal in the Gazette, the instrument was anonymously returned to the shop and has been handed back to the family, who live in Bergholt Road, Colchester.

Mum Katrina Parker said: "Even though we did the appeal, I think hand on heart we never thought we would get it back.

"We were pretty sure it was gone for good.

"But to get it back, it restores your faith in people and the thing is, we can't even thank them personally because we have no idea who they are.

"So the best thing is to say thank you publicly. If the Gazette story got to them in the first place, maybe this will as well."

The break-in took place in Briarwood End, Highwoods, Colchester, overnight between February 10 and 11.

The haul was sold to Cash Converters on February 11.