Thieves raid home of tragedy girl

A garage at the home of tragic Shropshire schoolgirl Charlotte Hartey was burgled while her family was in Greece attending a ceremony in her memory, her father revealed today.

The teenager died after her tonsillitis was diagnosed as swine flu. The break-in was revealed as the number of people who have signed up to a petition calling for over-the-phone swine flu diagnosis to be axed neared 10,000.

Charlotte's father Karl said the family returned home to Weston Rhyn from Greece on Sunday evening to find the garage had been burgled three times.

They had been in Greece to attend a remembrance ceremony with friends on the island of Kos where they have a family home.

The ceremony had been organised to pay tribute to 16-year-old Charlotte, who died at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on July 31. A GP had diagnosed swine flu but her condition worsened and she died from complications. Tests showed she had tonsillitis. Mr Hartey said: "The garage was burgled on August 20, 21 and 22. We have CCTV and we are upgrading our system again."

Meanwhile, North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has written to Health Secretary Andy Burnham asking for an review into the care given to Charlotte.

Mr Paterson said he had received several e-mails from campaigners concerned about over-the-phone diagnosis and had been in contact with Mr Hartey.

Mr Hartey said the thieves got away with a lawn mower, strimmer, pressure washer and chainsaw from the garage.