When a thief stole a vintage Ossie Clark jacket from a Primrose Hill charity shop, he robbed a pensioner not just of her property but also cherished memories of a dance with Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry.

The designer jacket, thought to be worth hundreds of pounds, defined a moment in former headteacher Jeanne Battye’s life.

It brought back memories of the Swinging 60s and a waltz in Brighton’s Grand Hotel with rock star Ferry, as well as good times with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

Ms Battye, 65, who was headteacher at North Bridge House Junior School in Hampstead, said: “It had such sentimental value – it’s just part of my youth which happened to be in the 1960s.

“I had a lot of fun with bands then and, when I was wearing that jacket, Bryan Ferry asked me to dance.

“We were with Keith Moon from The Who in the Grand Hotel and they used to have a grand piano on a dais.

“He (Ferry) was in a white tuxedo and, for some reason, he asked me to dance which was pretty special.”

She had offered her jacket to put on display in Mary’s Living and Giving shop for Save the Children charity as part of an homage to fashion from bygone eras.

The �16 cream-coloured jacket was one of the first items of clothing Ms Battye bought on her teacher’s wage. But on the first day it was displayed in the charity shop’s conservatory on January 21, the jacket was cut free from security ties and stolen.

Ms Battye, who has volunteered at the shop in Regent’s Park Road for eight months, said: “From time to time, we have thefts, which I think is pretty disgusting really, considering it’s a charity shop.

“It’s not people who need money – they’ll just sell it on.”

Shop manager Krissy Marton said: “We are absolutely horrified. This really is a rarity and, to know that what was loaned to us in such good faith was taken with very little regard for anyone else, it makes our hearts very heavy.

“Every sale that goes through our tills goes towards the life-saving work that Save the Children do here in the UK and abroad.

“It means the difference between life and death for some children and knowing this makes the theft even more disturbing.

“The team here is calling for all vintage shop owners and residents to keep their eyes peeled.

“If the Ossie Clark jacket is spotted and returned, we know one volunteer who would be over the moon.”

The cream Ossie Clark suit jacket is made of chiffon crepe with peach satin lapels and cuffs and it has a long peach belt.

If you have any information, contact the charity shop on 020-7586 9966.