ONE Morecambe mother is praying burglars return her taped memories of her little girl.

The burglars stole a video cassette player belonging to Janet Daley from a house on Primrose Street. They almost certainly didn't know it contained a tape with hundreds of clips of Janet's daughter, Helen, now 17, dancing at festivals and shows since she was four.

"It's her little face when she was a little girl that I want back," said Janet. "The look she had on stage when she was nervous and not quite sure. I really want it back. It's totally irreplaceable. I'm gutted about the whole thing."

Before they made off with their haul the housebreakers stamped the children's Easter eggs into the carpet.

But still Janet believes she can appeal to their better nature: "It wouldn't surprise me if they were young and they obviously wouldn't know what that tape means to me and family. If they could send that in to the police or The Citizen, it would mean the world. Obviously we want the police to return all the other stuff and everything but that's the most important item. It's worth nothing to anybody else but us.

"It had clips with her and little friends doing dances from down the years in duos and trios. My daughter has won all sorts of awards for her dancing. Last year she won five trophies at the Lancaster Festival and she wants to study it and take it on as her career. Her little sister Georgina, hasn't joined her yet, but then she's not yet two."

The burglars also stole a television set, compact disc player and mirror valued at £437.

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