Burglars escaped with a £21,000 haul of jewellery and silverware which once belonged to a Chippenham mayor and MP following a raid at a house in Beanacre.

The valuables, which have been in the family of David Awdry for generations, included three pairs of George III candlesticks, antique cutlery, George IV fiddle pattern tableware with an Awdry crest, gold pocket watches and 10 gold guineas.

Mr Awdry, who was mayor of Chippenham from 1958 to 1959 and MP for Chippenham in 1962, until he stood down in 1979, died last year and his heirlooms were passed onto his daughter Cilla Massey, whose house, off the A350 Beanacre Road near Melksham, was raided between 8pm on Sunday, November 15 and 9.30am on Tuesday, November 17.

The burglars levered open a conservatory door and smashed the glass on an internal door, leaving room for the burglars to enter and find the keys.

One of the items taken, a George III black shagreen tea caddy complete with two distinctive silver canisters made in 1768, was stolen before in the 19th century, but was dropped by the thieves and recovered. The offenders were later shipped off to Australia.

Each of the canisters in the tea caddy have a chinoiserie decoration, engraved armorials and surmounted with cast chinaman and a bird motif with the maker's mark 'NH'.

Other stolen items included a wire framed circular sugar bowl made in 1769 with the maker's mark 'WV', and a curved branching emerald and diamond brooch.

Anyone who has information about the Beanacre incident is asked to contact Detective Constable Nicola Caffrey or Detective Constable Kevin Keast on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111