Thieves have attacked a child’s memorial in Shropshire and stolen the baby’s toys,  leaving a family devastated.

Sharon and Tony Young, from Telford, built a memorial in their garden to their son Tyler who was stillborn in 2006.

After returning from a shopping trip on Monday, the same day as Mr Young’s 40th birthday, the couple discovered thieves had raided the memorial, making off with toy windmills, several toy animals and a specially shaped stone with the words “miss you baby boy, love always Mummy and Daddy”.

Mrs Young, 38, who lives in Bridgewood, Brookside, said she had been left devastated after her family spent years adding items to the memorial in memory of little Tyler.

The thieves struck sometime between 2.30pm and 4.30pm and also made off with two white cherubs, which sat either side of a bench bought by the boy’s grandmother, a 12-inch gnome and lantern and a plant pot shaped like a wellington and decorated with ladybirds.

Mrs Young said: “We are just devastated that someone could be so heartless to come on our property and steal stuff like this.

“These things mean so much to me and my husband, it’s heartbreaking and upsetting.

“We came home and we noticed the garden had been stripped. Quite a few ornaments, garden lights and stones that we bought off eBay for him have been taken.”

The couple also have two other children, Luke, 19, and Tia, three.

Mrs Young added: “This has upset all of the family. My mum bought most of the cherubs and I had to phone her and tell her they were taken, so she was quite upset.

“We built it up over the years and it’s not the first time someone has taken something and we have had to replace it.

“All they have left us with is one stone with his name on it.

“It’s heartbreaking.”

Anyone with information on the thefts can call Telford police on 0300 3333000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

By Jason Lavan