A MUM has been left devastated after thieves targeted her baby’s grave at the weekend.

Moira Finlayson, from Addingham buried her 30-minute old daughter, Ariella at St Peter’s Church, Addingham in June.

Bu she said when she went to visit it on Monday, 20 June, the headstone had been stripped of all decorative material left in Ariella’s memory.

Miss Finlayson, 28 said: “It was my little daughter Ariella’s headstone, and she got buried about 6 or 7 weeks ago, but we went to visit her grave this morning and noticed her cross headstone had been stolen.

“We were there on Thursday, and again on Monday morning so it must’ve happened at some point over the weekend.

“All the ornaments around her grave had been stolen, as well as a vase, some flowers and sentimental bits that we’d got from days out. I was absolutely devastated because of how important it is to us all, we’re just heart broken.”

Before the theft took place, a pink teddy bear was laid on the grave, as well as decorative ornaments reading ‘special daughter’ and ‘sister’.

Miss Finlayson said that she noticed three other graves in the graveyard had been tampered with, but she isn’t sure what exactly was taken from them.

“We just want to make people aware of what has happened and also to see if anyone comes forward to say ‘sorry it was me’ and return the stuff that was stolen,” she added.

“I went down to the grave again on Tuesday morning after it had happened and I just cried because I can’t believe it.

“My daughters been disturbed, it’s meant to be her resting place and I can’t believe someone can turn around and even think and act upon taking and stealing things from a newborn babies grave. It’s horrendous.”

West Yorkshire police have confirmed that enquiries are ongoing, and the incident took place sometime between 16 June and 20 June

If anyone saw anything suspicious at Back Beck Lane, between those dates is asked to contact police via www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contactus quoting 13220332598.

A fundraising page has also been set up to replace the things that were stolen.

Visit https://ariellathomson.muchloved.com to make a donation.

St Peters Church in Addingham have also been contacted for a comment.