Helena Godwin, of Tachbrook Road, was hoping to complete a large plaster carving she had been working on for almost a year in time for Warwickshire Artsweek in July.

But then it went the way of a wooden piece taken a month or so ago - when thieves scaled a six-foot fence to make off with the work.

Helena, 44, said: "I'm devastated - I could not believe it. This is a major setback professionally as well as very upsetting personally."

After photographing the sculpture with the help of a friend, the single mum assumed her friend had put it away.

It was only later she realised it had been stolen. Ms Godwin's garden is surrounded by a 6ft fence but people are able to see through the lattice work.

The artist thinks it must have taken two people to remove her work last Friday evening.

She said: "There was a lot of knocking on the front door that evening - I don't know if that was an attempt to distract me or not.

"I don't care who took it because they obviously liked it, but I need it back because I cannot replace it. It was a piece in progress - it was not saleable.

"This carving represents a couple of hundred hours of work that cannot be redone in time."

Ms Godwin, who has children aged 11 and 14, is a part-time teacher as well as an artist and is hoping to start her own art business.

She added: "This was the body of work that was going to see me through. It's like taking a part of me - it's left me completely devastated.

"I want to know what the council can do about the fact that people can see through my garden so easily because the work I do is so big I have to work in there."

Warwick District Council spokesperson Richard Brooker said someone from the council would be going to see Ms Godwin.

* Warwickshire Artsweek will take place from July 5 to 20 in more than 150 venues across the county. The event, in its eighth year, is open to all living or working in Warwickshire.
www.warwickshireartsweek.co.uk