A stolen Commonwealth Games gold medal belonging to former heptathlete Kelly Sotherton has been found in a postbox in Sutton Coldfield.

Sotherton's home was broken into last month, with other items, including nine AAA British medals, also being swiped.

The 38-year-old made a personal appeal for information on the BBC's Crimewatch programme on Monday and, on Tuesday, an unsuspecting postman discovered the Melbourne 2006 medal, along with an English schools prize, in a pillar box in the West Midlands.

"I'm over the moon," Sotherton is quoted as saying on the West Midlands Police website. "Crimewatch seemed to appeal to someone’s better nature.

"It must have been a bit of a shock for the postie but I'm glad it was put somewhere safe and can't wait to get my hands on it again."

Police are continuing to appeal for information relating to the other lost items, but investigating officer detective constable Mindy Mahil added: "It's fantastic that her most prized medal has turned up so soon after we appealed to the public for information about the break-in."