An art-lover who runs classes for elderly people is appealing for the return of stolen teaching materials.

Vivian Kaye, 67, said she will have to “start from scratch” after her briefcase was stolen from her car last week.

It contains research Mrs Kaye uses for art appreciation classes she runs for elderly people living at Selig Court, part of Jewish Care’s campus in Golders Green.

Mrs Kaye, who lives in Hendon Lane, Finchley, said: “I am still very upset about the fact they have taken it away from me, and from the people who I do it for.

“I cannot understand why they did it. If anyone finds the bag, the stuff is absolutely of no value to anyone but me.

"I am going to have to start from scratch. The most important thing is that I feel something very special for my group has been taken."

Mrs Kaye, a grandmother who recently finished an MA in criminology at Middlesex University and is halfway through a PhD, explained why she started the classes.

She said: “I got involved because I wanted to do something for the community. It was just meant for me, it’s perfect. They are exceptionally clever people. I love going there, they are just brilliant. It’s like a family, we love seeing each other."

But the teacher described the experience of teaching her first class without her research materials.

She said: “I went in and told one of the supervisors. They couldn’t believe it. I told my ladies and they were all so upset for me.

“They couldn’t believe someone would do something so horrible. The actual session wasn’t like it is normally. It just wasn’t the same."