HEARTLESS thieves have stolen a memorial bench which was a dying man’s final wish.

Dad-of-two Calvert Haworth died aged just 46 in January last year after being diagnosed with cancer only six weeks previously.

Before he died, the truck driver for Kenyon’s Haulage, decided to pay for a memorial bench in the Huncoat garden of his beloved sister Kathryn Haworth where his family could gather and remember him.

The bench, which carried a plaque inscribed ‘With love from Calvert, 1971-2017’. was regarded as Mr Haworth’s final resting place by his family, as he does not have a grave.

The family discovered that the bench had been taken from the front of their house in Higher Gate last month.

Ms Haworth, who lives with partner Mark Flower and Mr Haworth’s son Leon, 18, described the theft as ‘disgusting’.

She said: “To anyone seeing the memorial bench, it’s very obvious what it was.

“It had a plaque inscribed ‘with love from Calvert, 1971-2017’, on it.

“The bench was installed in the patio area of the front garden where flowers had been placed.

“Calvert was young at 46, so for someone to come up and think that they’ll take it and don’t care, disgusts me.

“It beggars belief and the perpetrators are disgusting and heartless.”

She added: “There’s a chance that someone may have been offered the bench or bought a bench which had a plaque on it, so I’d appeal to anyone who may have seen the bench to come forward.”

A police spokesman said: “We were called just after 8pm on July 31 to reports of a memorial bench stolen from someone’s front garden.

“It is not known when the bench was taken but it is thought to be during that day.”