THIEVES have stolen two memorial urns from a baby's grave in the latest theft at a cemetery.

Police said the theft, of granite urns from the headstone of a 13-week-old boy, was mean, callous and cruel.

Racheal Pattison, whose son, Sam, died from cot death in 1996, said: "It breaks my heart to know that somebody has stolen something belonging to my little boy.

"I cannot describe the pain these people have put us through."

The black polished granite urns are both inscribed with the name Sam in gold letters, and have been missing for more than a week from the West Cemetery, in Darlington.

In June, Darlington Borough Council vowed to increase the number of wardens on patrol in the area after toys were repeatedly taken from the grave of a five-month-old girl in the cemetery.

Mrs Pattison said the graveyard was open 24 hours a day because the council declined to pay for someone to lock the gates at night. She said: "When Sam died, our whole world was taken away. When I come to visit the grave, it gives me some relief, but whenever I see that something has been broken or stolen, I feel that pain all over again."

Mrs Pattison said that council workers accidentally smashed her son's headstone while they were mowing the grass two years ago.

She said the council never apologised and that she had to pay £1,000 for a replacement.

She said: "The way the council treats the cemetery is a disgrace.

"It used to be beautiful, but the council does not care about it any more."

A police spokesman said: "This is a mean, callous and cruel act, which is obviously heartbreaking for the mother."

Anyone with information has been asked to call police on 0845-60-60-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.

A council spokeswoman said: "We are sorry to hear about what has happened.

"The wardens and police do patrol the area, but our records show it is not a crime hotspot.

"It would be impractical to lock the gates as the public and emergency services need to gain access to the cemetery at all times.

"CCTV has not been considered appropriate in the past, but we will look at it again."