A heartbroken musician has launched an appeal to trace her “treasured” musical instrument after it was stolen from a hotel restaurant.

Caroline Regan, who lives in Kingsbury, was having lunch at the Crown Moran Hotel, in Cricklewood Broadway, when her concertina was taken from under the table on December 15.

The thieves dumped its case around the corner - but the hand-held Irish instrument has not been found.

Ms Regan, a full-time musician, is now growing increasingly upset as the days go by.

She said: “It means so much to me and I’m heartbroken. It was my most treasured thing and I feel awful. I am completely disheartened and completely shocked. I just want it to come back to me.

“I worked really hard for it and for someone to just come along and steal it from me is a horrible thought. It’s terrible what people can do.

“The worst thing for a musician is to have your instrument stolen. It put a huge dampener on my Christmas day - it’s all I could think about. I am just very, very upset. I can’t put it to words.”

The concertina is a Wheatstone 40-key anglo, with black bellows and metal ends, and its serial number is 24103.

The 25-year-old believes the thieves who stole it thought the vanity case contained money or jewellery.

She also believes they are unaware about what the rare and unusual looking instrument could be.

Ms Regan usually plays gigs around London but has since had to start using an older concertina, which she said is "not the same".

She is now offering a £100 reward for anyone who has information about where it might be, and has also put posters up in the area.

More than 500 people have joined a Facebook group appealing for its safe return and have promised to spread the word.

Ms Regan fears the thieves might have put it up for sale online and has been scouring Gumtree and eBay for signs of it.

Ms Regan added: “It’s such a callous thing to do to someone. It was a bad time for it to happen over Christmas.

“It’s more the sentimental value of it - I was very proud of my instrument.

“I’m hoping in the new year someone will have a conscience or someone will see something and bring it back to me. It’s all I want.”