A COUPLE have hit out at 'sick' thieves who stole a memorial dedicated to the baby they lost.

Kyle Livesey, 20, and Paige Rhodes, 17, were devastated when they had a miscarriage just three months into their pregnancy.

The couple created a plant pot memorial which had their baby's remains inside and a love heart shaped plaque to their 'sleeping angel'.

To add to their suffering, thieves stole the memorial just days after the couple had moved from Blackburn to Clayton-le-Moors.

They are now appealing for whoever is responsible to 'look to their conscience' and return the stolen memorial.

Mr Livesey, who is about to start a university course in physics and chemistry, said: "It's just sick.

"Whoever has taken it needs to look to their conscience and put it back.

"We don't care who has done it we just want it back.

"We have had a double devastation.

"First of all we lost our baby and now somebody has stolen our baby."

Mr Livesey said the couple lost their baby on May 1.

But now pregnant again they had moved from the Infirmary area of Blackburn to Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors on August 16 to be closer to his family.

The memorial had been placed in the back yard but Mr Livesey and Ms Rhodes, who is also a student, were devastated when they awoke an August 17 to find it had gone.

Mr Livesey said they didn't report the theft to the police straight away because they hoped the person responsible would return it when they realised what it was.

Mr Livesey said: "The rosebush has grown a bit now and you can't see the plaque straight away.

"I think at first they might not have noticed what it was.

"Well I hope not because if they have that's a real sick and heartless thing to do."

Police have issued a witness appeal following the theft which happened between 12am on August 17 and 8.30pm on August 18.

PC Paul Pountain, who is investigating the theft, said: "This is a truly shocking and sickening theft considering there was a plaque inside the pot clearly marking that it was in memory of a lost child.

"It meant the world to this baby’s parents who are still grieving after their loss which only happened back in May.

"They are understandably very upset and just want the pot back.

"What adds to their suffering is that the remains of the baby were inside and so I urge the thieves to search their conscience, do the right thing and either speak to us or hand it back to the couple themselves."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 01254 353103 or 101, quoting incident reference LC-20170819-1366.