A GRIEVING couple were devastated to discover thieves had stolen presents from their baby's grave.

Tony and Gill Ellis lost baby, Cody, just three days after she was born in May.

The heartbroken couple, of Atherton Road, Hindley Green, and their three other children, adorned Cody's grave with presents to help them deal with their grief.

But when they arrived at Westwood Gardens baby cemetery in Ince this week, they found a crystal wind chime and the angels they had put on the grave had vanished, and other gifts had been left in a heap.

Mr Gill, aged 31, a student nurse said: "I was heartbroken when I realised the presents were gone. Some of them had been brought for Cody by my other children."

Mr and Mrs Gill are now appealing to whoever took the presents to leave the grave alone.

He added: "I just want parents to stop their children playing in the cemetery and to be on the look-out if their child comes home with anything that could have come from a baby's grave."

Other bereaved parents have told the couple that items have also gone missing from graves of their loved ones.

Tony said: "We just wanted the grave to look nice while we wait for a headstone.

"The presents weren't really expensive but they were of sentimental value. We want people to realise that those babies in the cemetery have families."