Man's girlfriend died the day after the couple first met

James took his girlfriend's mother to the spot where Cheynee died on Northcliff Hill Credit: MEN Media

A man whose girlfriend plunged to her death from a clifftop on the day after the pair first met has made an emotional appeal to thieves who broke into his car and took a treasured memento of their time together.

After an online romance, James Nichols from Ashbourne in Derbyshire travelled to South Africa to meet South African girlfriend Cheynee Holloway for the first time.

But when the pair climbed to the top of Northcliff Hill in Johannesburg to watch the sunset, tragedy struck.

Photographer James was setting up a tripod to take a picture of his girlfriend with the sunset behind her, when the rock she was standing on gave way. She fell more than 50ft to the pathway below.

Despite James' frantic efforts to save her, by the time paramedics arrived there was nothing they could do.

Before she died in January, Ms Holloway had planted a rock for Mr Nichols at Johannesburg's Botanical Gardens. In a video she sent to her boyfriend, 8,000 miles away, she said that when he came to visit, they would collect the rock together.

Cheynee and Cheynee with her mother Credit: MEN Media

After his girlfriend had died, James went to collect the rock by himself so that he could keep it as a memento of their time together.

But on a recent trip to Manchester, thieves broke into his Renault Clio and cleaned it out. At first, he thought nothing had been taken:

James Nichols picking up the rock that Cheynee had left for him Credit: MEN Media
The rock that was stolen from James Nichols' car Credit: MEN Media

Since the theft outside Salford Quays Travelodge, James has put up a £300 reward for the safe return of the treasured keepsake.