The Tab’s Christmas Appeal: My exam notes were stolen on a train and I really need them back

When Alex took a train home from Cardiff to Burnley she could never have imagined the nightmare that would follow.

Alex Pollard was quietly studying on the journey when a sinister thief stole her bag containing colour-coded revision notes for her exams in January.

The 19-year-old has now appealed to anyone who can help find her bag — with the help of her mum, who broke down in tears when she heard the news.

The Tab has launched a Christmas appeal to bring back poor Alex’s notes.

Donate to our crowdfunding campaign: we are offering up to £500 to anyone who can bring the safe return of her revision.

We have already pledged £1 to the cause. She has already said: “Thanks.”

Cardiff medic Alex was revising when passengers saw a strange man walk off the train with her bag at Burton.

She said: “It was a nightmare. I had those notes for a year and a half and now they’re gone.

“I was busy studying on the journey from Cardiff to Burnley and 15 minutes before the train stopped I went to check my bags but they were gone.

“I was frantic because I had to get off at my stop so I couldn’t look up and down the train properly.

“People said they saw some man get off the train at Burton with my bag though.

“I just want my bag back.”

Alex’s black Army-issue duffle bag had her pretty gel-pen notes inside — and all her family’s Christmas presents.

She said: “All my stuff was stolen, all my clothes. I had to go out and buy new pants.

“These notes were hand-written and really important because they have personal case studies on them, so I can’t borrow from other people.

“When I told my mum, she was so upset. She couldn’t understand who would do something like this.

“My mum acted worse than me and cried.”

Distraught mum Sarah said: “The notes are going to be absolutely no use to the perpetrator, so they’ve probably just been dumped.”

The notes stolen are in Lever Arch folders and look the same as these two:

A spokesman for British Transport Police said the thief has been identified and is now wanted by police.

Alex added: “My uni house was burgled a few days before, so I’ve had the worst week.”

Have you seen the notes? Email [email protected] and help us reunite poor Alex with her revision.

Donate to our Christmas appeal here.