A FAMILY have spoken of their heartbreak and devastation after the ashes of a baby stored in a silver locket were stolen from grave in Whitefield.

Darren Walmsley and his family are in mourning following the loss of three family members in just 12 months, including new-born Max who died aged only a few hours in May last year.

The family decided to bury Max's ashes in the grave of his uncle Ben Walmsley, who died suddenly aged 15, in February, at the Parish Church of All Saint's, Stand, in Church Lane.

A small amount of the ashes were also contained in a heart-shaped locket placed around an ornament at the grave.

After visiting the grave on April 28 Mr Walmley's son and Max's father, Kade, noticed that the locket was missing and other items had been targeted, and now fears it has been stolen.

Mr Walmsley, aged 49, from Radcliffe, said: "Me and my son went there at 1pm on April 27 and everything was right. We took the old flowers off and changed the water and it was there on that day.

"Then my son noticed it had gone on April 28. It had gone in 24 hours.

"I said let's have a look, it might be around or maybe there's a magpie.

"We wrapped it around the stone on purpose because there are a lot of magpies, but there's no way it could left have without physical interference. It has been physically moved."

Mr Walmsley described the grave as having been desecrated, adding: "The chain was wrapped securely around the ornament and the only way for the chain to be removed would be to physically lift the ornament and remove it.

"The chain was placed on Ben's grave so Ben and his nephew could be together."

Max's parents and grandparents are now asking for the return of the chain saying that the incident has caused them "further heartbreak".

Mr Walmsley said: "I'm gutted because we lost our son in February and in the year before that we first lost my dad and then we lost Max.

"His ashes were in that locket, so part of him is missing now."

He added: "It's disgusting the nature of it all. It's of no value to anyone, it's personal. Who would do such a thing?

"It's devastating because apart from having all the bad luck we have had in the past 12 months it's like having our grandson taken away again."

However the incident is not the first time that the grave has been affected by tragedy.

In February, family members discovered Ben's grave and his grandfather, David's, neighbouring grave piled high with soil — just days after Ben was buried.

Still in mourning, the family found the mound of earth deposited on the graves with flowers and cards they had laid crushed or moved to one side.

The soil was later removed with the church explaining that boards had been placed over the graves according to procedure when graves are being dug for a nearby burial.