A DESPERATE woman whose life has been turned upside down by the theft of her van is appealing for thieves to have a heart and return a briefcase containing vital documents. Beverly Blackwood works for Newham Primary Care Trust but used the white transit

A DESPERATE woman whose life has been turned upside down by the theft of her van is appealing for thieves to have a heart and return a briefcase containing vital documents.

Beverly Blackwood works for Newham Primary Care Trust but used the white transit van for her commute to Royal Docks from Ipswich until it was stolen.

Care assistant Beverly, 47, is pleading with the thieves to hand the briefcase to Police at Forest Gate Police Station so that she can continue with her life.

It contains all her driver and vehicle documents, without which she has not been able to make a claim on her vehicle insurance, work-related material, citizenship paperwork as well as land deeds relating to property in Jamaica where she comes from.

She told the Recorder that she drove into Newham on March 8 and stayed with a friend in Romford Road, parking her van in Shrewsbury Road, Forest Gate. When she woke up the following morning, it was gone.

She said: "That van was my livelihood - without it I can't get to work. Since it was stolen I haven't gone back to Ipswich and I'm just staying with my friend but I don't feel comfortable because it's not my home.

"Even when I'm at work I can't focus.