A SPATE of thefts has spoilt the Mother's Day celebrations of a number of local families.

Residents in and around Princes Avenue woke up on Sunday morning to find their gardens dug up and flowers uprooted.

Thieves had moved in during the cover of night to steal flowers, plants and ornamental tubs.

The theft left one mother heartbroken when she discovered that an ornamental flower tub, was given to her by her son just before his death, had been stolen.

"He's not here to give me flowers on Mother's Day and I planted pansies in the tub just last week in honour of his memory,' said the mother, whose son died five years ago.

"It's dreadful what has happened. I've treasured filling the tub with flowers since my son died and for this to happen on Mother's Day is just terrible."

It is thought that the thieves used a van during the theft, which also included a heavy, wrought iron trough full of flowers.

In Morecambe, a mother has been left devastated by a thief who stole a family heirloom on Mother's Day.

Tracy Senior of Lancaster has appealed to the thief to bring back her mother's distinctive gold locket which was of tremendous sentimental value.

The burglar climbed in through the window of the house in Byron Road while the family celebrated the special day.

When they returned the burglar had made off with a collection of gold and silver jewellery.

Appealing to the thief's conscience, Mrs Senior said: "The locket has been handed down through the generations from mother to daughter. I don't think it's worth much but it has a lot of sentimental value. It's all my mother has to remind her of her late mother and it can never be replaced."

The heavy, gold locket had a distinctive engraved pattern on it and contained a picture of Mrs Senior as a baby.

"My mother is devestated and I'm very upset," said Mrs Senior. "We don't care about the other jewellery we just want the locket back. My mother's not got much and this was all she had."

If you have any information regarding the stolen locket contact the police or call Mrs Senior on Lancaster 383178.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.