Masked burglars steal sentimental wine collection from the Wirrall's Hillbark hotel

A £2,000 award is being offered for information leading to the arrest of masked burglars who stole a large collection of vintage wines from the Hillbark Hotel & Spa in Frankby, Merseyside.

The thieves broke into five-AA-star, 18-bedroom hotel between 1am and 8am on Sunday 26 January and got away with the wine which has been described as having "sentimental and cultural value" to the hotel owners Craig and Lisa Baker.

Merseyside Police said the burglars forced entry into the hotel, damaged a parked car and escaped with the haul which included a World War II-era bottle of Perrier Jouet & Co Reserve Cuveé Epernay 1942, a Moet Et Chandon Cuveé Dom Perignon Épernay 1971 and a Louis Roederer Cristal Reims 1985.

The hotel posted on its Facebook page: "We were targeted for the theft of many bottles of wine from our premises. Although we are disappointed to have any of our wines stolen, our biggest loss are a few specific bottles, which form part of Hillbark's heritage. To us, these are of high sentimental value and are irreplaceable."

Merseyside Police detective inspector Laura Lamping said: "To target a business in this way is unacceptable and we know it can cause great distress to the victims. We are determined to find those responsible and put them before the courts, so if you have any information at all, please contact us."

The Bakers have put up a £2000 reward for anyone who can help them retrieve the stolen wine.

Hillbark Hotel & Spa is an Elizabethan style property that sits in a 250 acre woodland estate. The owners bought the former old people's home in 2002 and converted it into a boutique hotel which is described as "the UK's smallest five-star hotel".