Potentially life-saving data was kept on Dr Abdul Karim Duke's computer - a Del Espiron 8000 - which has no back-up copy.

The computer was taken from an office at Glenfield Hospital while Dr Duke was operating in theatre.

Dr Duke, who is a children's heart specialist, has said he does not care about the computer but wants the work sent back.

CCTV tapes

He appealed to the thief: "Look on the desktop on this computer. Take the whole file marked academic - there is a whole folder marked academic.

"Copy the whole thing onto CD and just send me the CD whoever has got it."

A research project on children with holes in their hearts is on the computer.

There are no back-up copies of it and unless it is returned years of painstaking research will have been for nothing.

"There are potential live-saving issues here," said Dr Duke.

Security officers at Glenfield hospital are studying CCTV tapes.