Baby garden targeted by cruel thieves

Three stone statues of angels and a cherub were taken in two late night raids on the shrine to Katie-Rose Bayley outside her family’s home in Preston.

Now distraught mum Julie Bayley has made a heartfelt plea to the thieves to “show some compassion” and return the monuments.

“I can’t believe people could stoop so low,” said Julie who built the memorial in the family’s front garden in Brackenbury Road. “We thought at first it was just an opportunist theft - someone just walking past. But to come back a second night and take something else shows it wasn’t.

“We are all terribly upset and, I’ve got to admit, a bit disheartened by it all. To do that to a baby’s memorial is beyond contempt.”

Katie-Rose died earlier this year after a courageous four-month battle against a series of serious medical conditions. She was described as “a real fighter” by Julie and husband Larry.

The first theft was spotted one morning - two small angel statues had been carried off during the night. Then three days later dad Larry checked the garden at around 12.30am and discovered a larger, two-foot long statue of a cherub had also been taken.

“After the first theft we put up a security light to try and deter anyone doing the same. But they came back three nights later.

“It’s shattering for us. These people will have known it is a memorial garden to a child. There are plaques up with Katie-Rose’s name on and little stars around the place.

“How could they be so cruel and heartless? I’m just pleading with them to show compassion and bring them back and leave them by the gate. If they don’t, then hopefully someone will know who they are and tell the police.”