A woman is desperately searching for a missing memorial rock painted in honour of her late aunt which has vanished.

Tracey Green, 51, was out walking with her dog, on August 27, when she noticed the stone that paid tribute to her late aunt, Maureen May, was missing. 

The stone was placed on a memorial bench, which was also engraved in honour of Mrs May, at the end of Toftwood fen, near Canon's Close, in Dereham. 

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A rock that was made in honour of a beloved aunt has gone missing.A rock that was made in honour of a beloved aunt has gone missing. (Image: Tracey Green)
Miss Green said the bench has also been "vandalized by what looks like pencil scratches". 

She said: "It took us 18 months to get a memorial bench there. Auntie Maureen loved walking the fen and she always said it would be a nice place to sit.

"I obviously looked around the area but could not find the rock anywhere. It's not one that you can just put in your pocket and walk away."

Miss Green described the rock as being a similar size to a square tissue box and decorated with a dragonfly on one side and decoupaged with flowers on the other.

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The rock was last seen on a bench that is also engraved in honour of Maureen May.The rock was last seen on a bench that is also engraved in honour of Maureen May. (Image: Tracey Green)
She notified the Dereham community on Facebook, saying: "To the heartless person who has taken the memorial rock that my daughter made for her aunt and placed on her memorial bench, please could you put it back or if found please let me know." 

Some of those who responded asked if the rock was possibly mistaken for a Norfolk rock, which was an initiative for rocks to be painted and left somewhere for others to pick up and relocate. 

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Maureen May loved all things nature including dragonflies, birds and butterflies.Maureen May loved all things nature including dragonflies, birds and butterflies. (Image: Tracey Green)
Miss Green said: "Those had #Norfolkrock written on them. This one has 'Auntie Maureen' on it and is placed on a bench that is clearly also for her."

Miss Green's daughter, who decorated the rock, was "really upset" when she found it had vanished.

"It was a personal thing for her. Her and Maureen were really close and Maureen used to look after her when she was younger."

Miss Green has asked for the rock to be returned to the bench if found.