Mum horrified as thieves target son's grave at Oxbridge Cemetery in Stockton

Marie Worton visited her son's grave in the baby garden and found a set of solar panel lights stolen and the rest of the plot trashed

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Marie Worton at her son's grave in Oxbridge Cemetery

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A mum-of-three has spoken of her disgust after thieves targeted her son’s grave as she prepares to celebrate what would have been his 13th birthday.

Marie Worton was horrified when she visited the baby garden in Oxbridge Cemetery, Stockton, on Sunday, to find a set of solar panel lights stolen and the rest of the plot trashed.

The 36-year-old lost her son Cameron in August, 2001, when he was just an hour old. He was born full-term weighing less than 2lbs and suffered from a collapsed lung.

Foster carer and housewife Marie, 36, said she cannot understand how, or why, anyone could steal items from a grave.

She said: “This is where we come for our personal moments, so to think that someone has purposely come along and stole parts of it is just sick.

“I visit at least twice a week to clean everything, and I knew straight away that something was missing. His flowers had been thrown across the grass and the ornaments had been knocked down.

“We have had trouble in the past with things going missing and being moved and I am fed up of it now.”

Marie and her husband Micheal, who live on St Peter’s Road, in Stockton, with their children Branden, 16, Andrew, also 16, and Shannon, 11, are refusing to let the thieves spoil their special place.

Marie added: “I can’t give Cameron a birthday party or presents, so this is the only way I can do something for him. I won’t let them beat us and they won’t stop me making my son’s grave beautiful.

“Cameron is still a huge part of our family and we miss him every day. We would have been celebrating him turning into a teenager in August, so we are already finding this year hard to deal with.”

The Worton family believe the thieves struck some time last week.

Anyone with any information is asked to call PC Reed at Cleveland Police on 01642 326326 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.