A reward has been offered for the return of a £7,500 watch its owner believes was taken from the changing rooms at David Lloyd in Farnham.

Brian Rutherford, 66, from the Alton area, said he visited the health club last Wednesday evening after returning from London and decided to go for a swim.

He believes he accidentally dropped his Breitling watch while changing, after attempting to put it in his trouser pocket.

“I heard something dropping, some sort of metal dropping,” he said. “I turned round and I think it was a person behind me. He was on the opposite side of the changing room.”

Brian stressed that he accepts responsibility for accidentally dropping the watch but wants it returned because of its sentimental value. The watch was a gift from his children.

Brian reported the missing watch to reception and returned to the club the following day, but said it had not been handed in.

Brian said he also provided a statement to a member of staff and has since reported the matter to police.

“I would expect a club where I’m paying £2.5k a year to take a bit of interest that I’ve lost my watch,” he said.

He believes CCTV could potentially have helped narrow down what happened, as he noticed the watch was missing within around an hour and a half.

“At the very least, they could have said, you know, they’ve got CCTV coming in, so they could have narrowed it down,” he said. “But the staff did nothing.”

Anyone with information about the watch is asked to come forward. A large reward is being offered for its safe return.

The Herald has previously reported Dr Amir Savage’s call for more action at the health club after his watch was stolen from the lockers.

David Lloyd has been approached for comment.