A new mum who flew from America to have her baby christened in her home town of Bradford is devastated by the theft of precious video tape of the event.

Natalie Dibuono, from Chicago, got a family friend to capture her daughter Celeste's christening on tape.

It would have been a lasting memory for the family to cherish in America but, just three days after the service, the camcorder was stolen in a burglary along with the tape of Celeste's christening.

"It means nothing to them, but it means everything to us," said Natalie.

The 33-year-old was born in Bradford but met her husband Jeff while working as a nanny in Chicago. She moved there four years ago and Celeste is her first child.

When it came time for Celeste to be christened, the family organised for it to take place on her first birthday at St James's Church in Baildon.

The service was attended by the couple's family and friends, many who were seeing the little girl for the first time.

"It was a lovely day," said Natalie. It was wonderful. Everything went so well and then this happened."

The christening was recorded by friend Warren Lester, of Clayton Heights. He was planning to give Natalie and Jeff a tape of their daughter's christening but it was taken in the burglary. Thieves sneaked into his house through a kitchen door, while Warren and his wife Elizabeth were in the living room.

Now Natalie is appealing for whoever took the camcorder to return it, along with the precious tape. "I was really upset when I found out it was gone," said Natalie, who has now returned home to America. "It really is irreplaceable and means nothing to anyone but us."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed the burglary had taken place between 8.30pm and 8.45pm on Wednesday, March 20.

"We are still investigating the matter," he said.