A lifelike child doll that helps grieving parents has been stolen from a charity garage sale and its owner is pleading for its return.

Te Puru woman Alice Parris says her reborn doll Damien has greater significance than people might realise.

Alice Parris, with two of her reborn dolls Phoebe and RJ, would like Damien returned to her after he was taken from an Animal Rescue fundraising garage sale last month. Photo: Cameron Massey/Stuff

Reborn dolls have a following of mainly collectors, but also with nostalgic grandparents and grieving parents, as is Parris's case who got her first reborn doll following a miscarriage.

Damien was taken from the Animal Rescue annual fundraising garage sale at St James Church in Thames.

The doll was for sale when it was taken from the Animal Rescue annual fundraising garage sale held at the St James Church in Thames two weeks ago.

"Their therapeutic value is immense, you can go to counselling and that's going to heal this part of you," she says.

"[But] that physical hold, cuddle and everything else isn't there and that's a lost part."

The reborn dolls are custom made from kits to specific requirements including eye and hair colour, skin tone, and the doll's weight closely matches that of a human baby of the same size making each doll unique.

Parris has built up a small collection since the beginning of the year and says she can find solace in having them near.

"I've had really bad days where I've been very down, very depressed and I took RJ down to the beach," she says.

"We sat down on the beach and did some photography down there, they're my therapy, my healing."

Damien was taken from the Animal Rescue annual fundraising garage sale at St James Church in Thames. Photo: Alice Parris/Stuff

Parris has reported the doll missing to the Police and photos of Damien have been circulated to opportunity shops in the area.

"I just would like it returned, no questions asked, take it to the Police station and return it."

Damien was dressed as girl when he was stolen. He was wearing a pink beanie, hot pink top tied at front and floral pants.

He has crossed-eyes, a very pale complexion and is the weight of newborn, Parris says.

Reborn dolls are very life-life with some dolls designed so their chests rise and fall.

They can also be fitted with electronic devices that mimic a heartbeat and breathing.

They are carefully crafted in vinyl and are painted several times to create the mottled colour of newborn skin, have mohair hair and eyelashes.

Fans of the hobby, who call it "reborning," are mostly women.

New dolls sell for around $500 on Trade Me.

- Stuff