A COMMUNITY has been left devastated after thieves stole rose bushes dedicated to the memory of four residents.

All 68 households in Glenfield Close, Little Harwood, Blackburn, contributed to buy the plants, which were blessed at a joint Church of England and Muslim service last year.

Now they have branded the thieves "sick" and appealed for them to return the plants, one of which had yellow flowers and the other pink.

Plaques around the planting area tell passers-by the roses are dedicated to the memory of Laura Haworth, who died of a brain tumour aged six in 1999, Azra Inatulla Rawoot, who died in a car crash when she was 11, Helen Aspinall, who died of a heart attack aged 69 and Patricia Morris, who died suddenly in her 50s.

The two £20 bushes were paid for by residents of the estate and 60 people attended a memorial service to dedicate them in June last year.

The area where they are planted has since been maintained by groups of local youngsters.

Laura's mother Jeanette Kirby, 32, said: "I am really upset about this. It was a really nice tribute and service for people to show their respect and now this has happened. They must have seen the plaque and just have no conscience.

"I would just ask whoever has taken them to bring them back."

Grace Aspinall, whose mother-in-law Helen was known as the "sweetie lady" by children on the estate before she suffered a heart attack four years ago, said: "All the children on the estate really respect this area and none of them has ever touched the plants. It's a rotten shame, just disgusting, when people have worked so hard to keep it nice." Ian Ward, secretary of residents' group Glenfield Playsafe, said: "Everyone is gutted. These roses were special to the whole community. If anyone wanted roses that badly I would have bought them some myself.

"We won't be beaten. They will definitely be replaced but we would really like to get them back because they had been specially blessed.

"If the person who took them has a twinge of conscience they can just bring them back and leave them here. We will check every morning."

The roses were stolen between 10am and noon on Sunday. Anyone who wants to return them can leave them at the site, by Phillips Lane, or call Mr Ward on 07812 782214.