A glass sculpture and medals have been stolen from a memorial to the 23 people killed in the Munich air disaster, including eight Manchester United players.

The items were taken from a display case at Manchesterplatz in Munich, where the plane crashed on take-off on 6 February 1958 after refuelling on its return from a European Cup match in Belgrade.

Munich Police told German media the glass was smashed with a stone and said the incident was believed to have happened between 08:00 and 13:00 local time on Monday, 26 October.

The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) said it was “deeply saddened”, while its chair, Ifty Ahmed, said the theft had caused emotional harm to families.

“They don’t understand the damage that they’ve caused,” Ahmed told BBC News.

He said the memorial had provided solace for families who lost loved ones in the crash.

“And whatever they’ve taken from inside the showcase, they haven’t taken our memories,” he said.

Mark Salzmann, chairman of Red Docs Munich, a Bayern Munich supporters’ group which helps care for the memorial, said his mother discovered the damage while driving past.

Salzmann said a glass sculpture originally presented to Munich’s former mayor, Dieter Reiter, was among the stolen items.

His group collects tributes left by visitors from around the world and places some of them in the display case.

He said the objects were unique and could not easily be replaced, but the group was discussing possible replacements with the foundation.

Ahmed said it was still unclear exactly how many medals were missing.

He said Manchester United had offered to pay for repairs, but the foundation had already agreed to cover the costs itself.

The broken glass was replaced on the same day, according to the foundation.

Ahmed said supporters of Liverpool, Manchester City and Leeds had also sent messages of support.

A memorial stone was installed in 2004, while the display case was added in 2020 and officially inaugurated in 2023.

About 1,500 people from around the world attended the annual remembrance service at Manchesterplatz in February, according to the foundation.

Salzmann said the messages of support he had received showed how important the memorial was, adding that the connection between Manchester and Munich “will never go away”.

The BBC has contacted Munich Police and Manchester United for comment.

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