Burnley family's heartbreak after cruel thieves steal three-year-old's beloved garden bench
A distinctive children's "full of sentimental value" bench has been stolen only a few months after it was installed during lockdown.
Mother-of-four Emma Winder was left horrified when she discovered the red bench, which she bought for her three-year-old daughter Kailey, had disappeared from her front garden in Lowerhouse Lane.
The Winders had only bought the bench during lockdown and spent days sanding and painting it. Kailey would spend hours sitting on the bench enjoying picnics. The special seat also honoured her great-grandmother who died earlier this year.
Emma (29) spoke of the family's heartbreak. She said: "After I returned from the school run yesterday morning (Thursday), I discovered the bench was missing. I was absolutely devastated and couldn't believe it. Kailey had left her wellies on the bench the night before and whoever stole the bench, they had thrown her wellies in the garden!
"Kailey is gutted and cannot understand where the bench is. To people it's just a kids' bench, but to us, it's full of sentimental value. We enjoyed picnics and sat in the evenings during the summer drinking cups of tea and looking up to stars at night and remembering my grandmother who died during lockdown.
"The theft has left me dismayed, but angry too. Why would anyone steal a child's bench? Kailey has been crying since yesterday. It makes me so upset to see her like this."
Emma, who is married to Kyle and also has Keira-Louise (12), Kaiden (10) and seven-month-old Kaidie-Lea, is appealing to anyone who might have witnessed the theft or knows the whereabouts of the bench, to contact her.
"It's been a tough year for everyone and this is a cruel thing to happen to a three-year-old just before Christmas. I'm hoping someone reading this article might have information. The return of our beautiful bench will make a little girl very happy."