AN ELDERLY Farnworth couple were locked in their bedroom by thieves who stole the only memento of their soldier son - killed by the IRA 12 years ago.

Billy and Kathleen Gallimore, aged 64 and 62, were locked in as they slept at their home in Westminster Avenue.

In addition to stealing a video recorder and £400, the thieves grabbed a watch which had belonged to their son, Lance Corporal Peter Gallimore.

He was killed by an IRA car bomb on a fishing trip in Enniskillen 12 years ago this Saturday.

Today the distraught couple pleaded with the thieves to return their treasured memento.

Peter, who would have been 39 today, lost a leg in the blast and died in hospital several months later.

The couple were in bed when Mrs Gallimore heard a noise at about 11pm on Sunday and found their bedroom door had been locked.

The thieves had got in through the bathroom window, searched the house and stole hundreds of pounds worth of goods. The couple were too upset to talk about the burglary, but Peter's sister, Marie Mattison, said her parents were devastated because the watch was the only memento they had of their son.

She said: "My mother just couldn't stop shaking yesterday. It was very upsetting, especially coming so close to Peter's birthday.

"They never really got over Peter's death and to have someone steal their only memento of him is devastating.

"The watch isn't much value to the people who stole it. You wouldn't look twice at it. We would appeal to the thieves, if they have any conscience, to return it."

Peter had served in the Army for 10 years and was on a two year tour of Northern Ireland with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers when he was killed.

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