Christmas thief steals 'Nun Bun'

The famous bun has been preserved with shellac

A cinnamon bun that bears a striking likeness to late Catholic nun Mother Teresa was stolen from a US coffeehouse on Christmas Day.

The owner arrived to find that the famous flaky pastry had vanished from the shop in Nashville, Tennessee.

Bob Bernstein said he thought the culprit was angry over the display.

The "Nun Bun" has drawn tourists since it was preserved and put in a glass case at the shop, where it was discovered by a customer in 1996.

The bun became international news following the find in the folds of its pastry.

Father, son and holy toast - other miracle images In pictures

The Bongo Java coffee shop sold T-shirts, prayer cards and mugs with the bun's image until Mother Teresa wrote a letter asking the sales be stopped, before her death in 1997.

Mr Bernstein said the thief "went right for the bun", ignoring cash lying nearby.

"Unfortunately I think it's somebody who wanted to take it to destroy it," he said.