Violinist, 79, has instrument stolen from train

A 79-year-old professional violinist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra says he hopes his violin will be found, after it was stolen from a train.

Joseph Maher's 20th Century violin was taken from overhead storage on a Thameslink route to Cambridge on Friday, after he got off the train at Blackfriars.

Maher said inside the violin case were two bows, one of which he had owned since he was 18, and was of great personal value.

"It's your arm," he said. "I had just had it refurbished by the original maker. It was totally personal."

Maher, from Haywards Heath, said he had owned the violin for more than 20 years and a replacement would cost approximately £15,000.

"It's so personal," he said. "I loved it as an instrument. The financial loss is secondary to the personal loss."

Maher said he realised he had left his violin on the train immediately after departing at Blackfriars.

He said station staff rang through, but was told the train could not be checked for the violin until it reached Cambridge.

"It was an hour and 20 minutes until Cambridge," he said. "They checked and I was told there was nothing there."

The musician, who has been part of the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 1986, said a colleague had loaned him a violin to use in the interim, which he was able to use in a concert on the day of the theft.

Maher said he hoped there was a "reasonable chance" of the instrument being recovered and returned to him, and added that he hoped the violin was difficult to sell on.

British Transport Police said officers were contacted about the theft on Saturday and enquiries were ongoing.

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