HEARTLESS thieves targeted a wedding hit by floods and stole wedding cards, guest book, cash and gifts worth £2,000.

The families of Nicky Patrick and Kerry Simmance, both 27, are appealing to the people of Weymouth and Portland to help them get back hundreds of cards of priceless sentimental value, after they were stolen from their wedding reception on Sunday.

Guests to the wedding on Saturday at St Andrews Church, Preston, and Lorton House in Broadway left cards, cash and gift vouchers in a 1950s suitcase on a table at the reception.

The bad weather hit the wedding and guests pitched in to dig trenches to divert water from the marquee half-an-hour before the reception start.

Just as the party was drawing to a close at 2.30am on Sunday morning the generator died and in the following confusion the suitcase of cards was left at the venue.

The family thought someone had taken the cards for safekeeping but on Monday morning it was discovered that they had been stolen.

Father-of-the-bride John Simmance, from London, said the family loved Weymouth and had been coming down to holiday in a caravan in Wey-mouth Bay for 20 years and that was why his daughter had wanted to get married in the borough.

He said the thieves were ‘low,’ but that what mattered most was getting the cards and messages back.

He said: “They might take the money but they can’t take away the memories. It was such a fantastic weekend and a fabulous wedding.”

He added: “Disappointing as it may be we would love the support of the people of Wey-mouth and Port-land.

“It’s not so much the money but the lovely cards – those little messages people say at weddings.”

Mr Simmance appealed for anyone who had information about the cards to get in touch with Dorset Police.

He said: “Maybe Dorset Echo readers may have noticed something, maybe the cards in a bin. It’s the cards we really want.”

Mr Simmance said that despite the weather everyone had really pulled together and he thanked the people of Weymouth who made the day so special including the marquee and catering staff who worked in the wet conditions.

Kerry’s sister Alison Simmance said that her sister and husband had been so upset and that she was hoping to get together another guest book before the couple returned from their Kenyan honeymoon.

She said: “She was absolutely devastated.”

She added that it had been such a good weekend with everyone pulling together against the weather.

Miss Simmance said: “It didn’t ruin the weekend but we want any clues.”

Dorset Police are investigating the theft and anyone with information about the cards or who saw anything suspicious should call Dorset Police on 101.