A FORMER rugby league international has been left devastated after thieves ransacked his home and stole his prize collection of medals.

Darren Wright returned home from work in the early hours of Sunday morning to find that thieves had broken into his home and stolen 20 medals won during more than a decade with Widnes.

Thieves forced their way through a back door of his home, in Harrier Close, Leigh between 2pm on Saturday afternoon and 2am on Sunday.

They stole his medals, a television, DVD player and video recorder.

The 35-year-old ex-Great Britain international has offered a £100 reward for the safe return of his medals.

Darren said: "I can replace the electrical equipment, but the medals are all I have from my career with Widnes. My two boys loved those medals, and I wanted to hand them down one day -- but now I can't. Those medals are of massive sentimental value to me -- we were one of the best teams in the world, we had a lot of great times, but now all I've got is memories." He was part of a Widnes team which dominated rugby league during the 1980s.

During an 11-year career, he won four Premierships, a World Club Championship, a Regal Trophy and a Challenge Cup runners-up medal.

He also won two Under-21 caps with Great Britain and toured with the British Lions in 1988.

Anyone with information on the robbery or the whereabouts of Darren's medals should contact Leigh CID on 0161 856 7254 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.