Martin, who famously skipped Great Britain to victory in the curling event, securing victory with the last delivery of the final, has described the theft as an "ice cold bitter blow", and said she was "absolutely devastated and gutted".

Her medal was among £34,000 ($57,300/€41,300) of sports memorabilia taken from the museum, which also included an Olympic curling gold won at the inaugural 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix by fellow Scot William Jackson, who skipped a team including his son Laurence.

"I would directly appeal to those who have taken this to return it," said Martin, who coached Eve Muirhead's Team GB rink to bronze at this year's Sochi Winter Olympics.

"It is very sentimental to me personally and I had the pleasure of sharing the medal with so many Scottish and English people since I won it with the 'Stone of Destiny' in Salt Lake City in 2002.

"So many youngsters have got to touch and see the medal and thishas inspired them to go on to take up curling or aspire to do well in sport or life in some way.

"The medal is not only mine, it is all of Scotland's and was on display in the Dumfries museum so that everyone can share it.

Rhona Martin, pictured far right, at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games curling medal ceremony ©Getty Images


"After such a fantastic year for the sport and with the Commonwealth Games rapidly approaching, this is an ice cold bitter blow for me, my country and the traditional 500-year-old Scottish sport I have loved my whole life.

"What is even worse is the theft of the historic 1924 curling medal and other items also."

The building on Rotchell Road was broken into at around 10pm British Summer Time on Wednesday (April 30).

Police officers are keen to trace three people in dark clothing seen in the area around the time of the incident.

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