DEVASTATED parents are appealing for help after 'heartless' vandals trashed the memorial to their stillborn daughter at their Parr home.

James and Victoria Pickthorne say they were disgusted when they returned from visiting family to find the garden in memory of their daughter Sadie-Jay had been destroyed.

Thieves had broken into their back garden and ripped out the special ornaments and flowers before tipping rubbish from their bin all over the memorial.

All that was left was a special plaque with their daughter's picture and name.

The heartbroken couple, who have four children, are now appealing for help to replace the items – which held great sentimental value to them.

James Pickthorne, 26, said: "We are just totally disgusted that people can be this heartless.

"We've never had a garden space like this before, so when we moved here we finally felt able to put a memorial garden together for Sadie-Jay, who was born asleep in 2013.

"We had special ornaments here and planted flowers that attract butterflies as her brothers and sisters have been told that Sadie is a butterfly.

"It was a place we come to spend time with our daughter and nothing here was overly expensive but it was precious to us because of her.

"We went away for a week and came home on Friday and I saw through the window that damage had been done to the bamboo on the fence.

"When I went out I found that all the ornaments we had for Sadie were gone – little solar powered windmills and butterfly ornaments on the wall, everything, they were all gone.

"Not only that but they ripped lights off the fence and tore open our own rubbish to tip it all over the garden.

"Her plaque with her name and picture is there so it's clearly a memorial garden to a little girl.

"What's worse for me though is we had new patio furniture and a big trampoline in the garden, as well as the kids' toys, but they didn't touch them – I can't understand why anyone would do this, we are devastated."

James, who also suffered a mini stroke last year, reported the incident to police but due to lack of information and CCTV very little can be done.

Damage has also been done to the garden gate, which had been locked and the vandals had used to gain access.

James added: "Our two girls Leonie, six, and Scarlett, four, are really really upset. Every time they hear a noise outside they are asking if 'the bad men are back in the garden'.

"We've been back to the shops where we got the ornaments but they don't stock them any more.

"When I found out at first I was more angry than upset but the garden meant a lot to our family, particularly the children, so I can't explain the upset it's caused to us all.

"I'm just so grateful we kept her ashes inside our home, so they were not touched."

The family is looking to replace the ornaments and plants.

If anyone can help them please email James on jcpicky4@gmail.com.