Two vases of colourful textile flowers created by Gillian Travis were taken from the premises at Elland Road, Ripponden, last Wednesday.

She says the theft happened in broad daylight and has left her missing work that took her a month – amounting to hundreds of pounds of her time.

"I was busy in a room next door to where the flowers were but because I was using the sewing machine I couldn't hear what was happening.

"The CCTV shows two men coming in, having a good look round, taking a bunch of flowers, including the vase, and walking up the road with them.

"It shows them returning a few minutes later for a second bunch.

"I assume that, as they could not find anything of monetary value, they took them and are destined for a girlfriend or partner on Valentine's Day."

Mrs Travis, who has only been working from the studio since September, said some of the flowers still had pins in.

"It's so annoying because I usually lock the door.

"The keys were in the door but I must have had my mind on other things and left it unlocked.

"I would really like to have them returned rather than destroyed."

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the theft, which happened at around 11.30am on Wednesday, or has information about the missing flowers to get in touch on 0845 6060606 or CrimeStoppers, anonymously, on 0800 5551.

Police say one of the men was dark, wearing a black hat and black bomber jacket, possibly with a hood.

The other was described as white, wearing and blue and grey hat and a dark jacket.