A couple have been left heartbroken after precious photographs of their late son were stolen while they visited his grave.

Ann Devine and her husband, Dennis, had gone to lay flowers on their son Lee's grave at Undercliffe Cemetery, Bradford, to mark his birthday at 10am yesterday.

But they were distraught to find their car had been broken into during the ten-minute visit, and Mrs Devine's handbag, £200 in cash and the pictures had gone.

"It doesn't matter to me about the money, although I can't afford it," said a tearful Mrs Devine, of Pool-in-Wharfedale but formerly of Moorside Avenue, Eccleshill.

"It's the pictures. They meant the world to me and I carried them with me because I had to have them with me. Even if they have put them in some mother's dustbin, I hope she will look for us and send them back.

"He was only 22 when he died and he was very good and helped underprivileged children. He was a good lad."

Lee, who won the contest to find Bradford's Youth Lord Mayor in 1985, died of cancer in 1990. The photos of him were secured in the black leather zip-up handbag.

Police say thieves smashed the car window of the red Rover 400, in the car park at Park Road, and flattened the back seats to get to the boot where the handbag had been placed out of sight.

Three youths, aged between 14 and 16, were seen walking down Otley Road looking into car windows. After the theft a passer-by tried to chase them in his car but they fled. Anyone with information is asked to ring PC Tony Knox on (01274) 376459.

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