An amateur boxer has pleaded with thieves to return the lucky shorts given to him by his late father and worn for each of his 28 fights.

Plumber Jack Warren, 30, had his van broken into while working in Malvern Road, London Fields two weeks ago.

More than £1,000 worth of tools were taken in the break in, as well as two pairs of pricey boxing gloves that were in his gym bag.

But it wasn’t until this week that Jack realised the black shorts he cherishes so much were also pinched.

His dad Robert Warren, of Stoke Newington, died on holiday eight years ago aged just 54. But two years before that, he presented 20-year-old Jack with a pair of boxer shorts before his first fight. Robert had stitched all the badges on himself, including his son’s name in big letters and the words “Bobs boy”.

“My dad helped make the shorts and I’ve worn them to every fight,” Jack told the Gazette. “The tools and gloves are worth a lot but they can be replaced. The shorts can’t. My dad stitched on all the badges and, it might sound silly, but they are a little piece of him.

“I’ll offer a reward if I can get them back, they just mean so much to me.”

Jack, who lives in Upper Street and trains at the Times Amateur Boxing Club in Caledonian Road, contacted police this week when he realised the shorts had been taken during the break in.

His sister Louise has started an online campaign in a desperate attempt to get the shorts back, knowing how much they mean to her brother.

She said: “Jack feels calm and peaceful when he has the shorts on for a fight as he feels like my dad is with him and in his corner. It’s just so sad.

“We are very desperate for help. We just think there are good people out there and maybe, just maybe, we still might have a glimmer of hope.

“They are worthless to everyone else, but priceless to us.”

Jack is asking anyone who may have seen the shorts or has information about their whereabouts to email him on gasmanheatingsolutions@gmail.com. He is offering a £100 reward for their safe return.