A student is appealing for the public's help after she left a rare, 200-year-old violin on a train at Manchester Victoria station.

Poppy Wald-Harding, 18, is studying jazz saxophone at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester and is also a classically-trained violinist.

The sixth-form student left the violin on board the 6.42pm Leeds to Manchester Victoria Northern service on Tuesday, which arrived at 8.05pm.

It is a Joseph Strauss violin made in Rothenbach, Germany, in 1804.

Poppy, who also had her saxophone with her at the time, said she was tired from jet-lag when she got off the train, leaving the violin behind her in a rack above her seat.

Her mum, Hayley Harding, has now posted an appeal on Twitter which has gone viral.

Professional musician Stephen Morris hit the headlines last year after he left a 300-year-old Tecchler violin worth £250,000 on a train in south London, only for the instrument to be returned after a huge social media appeal.

Poppy's violin is nowhere near as valuable in terms of money. But to her, the instrument is priceless.

It was a gift from a violin teacher and Poppy has been playing it since the age of 11.

The violin was left in a train at Manchester Victoria

Rail operator Northern said it hasn't turned up in lost property and British Transport Police have also been contacted.

The train went on to Chester, but the family have had no luck there either.

"It has an awful lot of sentimental value to me and was a precious gift," said Poppy, who lives in Leeds but boards at Chetham's.

"I use it regularly and it cannot be replaced.

"It is just an awful situation. I was really jet-lagged and was on the train back to school in Manchester.

"It was just a mistake and I was really upset.

Anyone with information is being asked to come forward

"The violin just seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth and I'm hoping to spread the word and get it back."

The violin was in a black case with stickers on it including a Welsh flag and the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales.

Inside the case was a silver mounted Hofner bow, which was bought in Manchester, and a purple, hand-stitched, velvet blanket with a panda motif on it.

Hayley, from Leeds, issued an appeal to pawnbrokers and music stores to be on guard in case anyone tries to sell the violin.

Follow reporter Paul Britton on social media

To follow Paul on Twitter, click here.

Or to like his Facebook page and keep up to date with the latest breaking news, click here.

Here's the link to the M.E.N's main Facebook page where we share our latest stories.

She said Poppy had just returned home from a performance in Boston, America.

"Poppy is devastated by it all," said Hayley, who has posted details of the violin and images of Poppy playing it on Twitter.

"She came back to Leeds to pick up her violin because she was going to be doing a rehearsal in Manchester then got on the train.

"She was quite jet-lagged and would never normally leave it behind.

"We have spoken to Northern and British Transport Police and Poppy has been back to Manchester Victoria station, but there is nothing.

"We are just hoping we can get it back."

Poppy's name and contact details are inside the case.

If you have any information please contact Poppy via her Instagram account or her mum Hayley on Twitter here.