The devastated sister of Dawn Holbutt, who died last year following a long battle with cancer, has spoken of her anger after thieves stole treasured items from her grave.

Hayley Johnson, 42, of Meriton Avenue, Corsham, said she broke down in tears when she found the items gone from her sister’s grave, at Ladbrook Lane cemetery, on Wednesday last week during her daily visit.

She said: “I had gone to Dawn’s grave as usual and saw that seven lanterns had gone from around her grave as well as four fairies that had wings that lit up.

“I just burst out crying at her grave. I felt like someone had ripped my heart out. Dawn was such a lovely, pretty girl and so many people knew her and that’s why I can’t believe that somebody would do something as low as this.”

Miss Holbutt, of Arnold’s Mead, Corsham, was 39 when she died from breast cancer in January last year.

Mrs Johnson, a sales assistant, said: “She had fought the cancer for six years but she had died unexpectedly in January last year. We had thought she was getting better but she had passed away in her sleep.

“She didn’t even look ill so it was a big shock for a lot of people and now we see at least one person visiting her grave every day.”

Mrs Johnson’s husband Kevin, 45, who is a heating engineer, said: “Hayley has been absolutely distraught since she found out about the theft. We just hope that whoever is doing it will bring the items back. Hayley and her mum Val light candles in the lanterns everyday.

“They like to keep Dawn’s graveside pretty and well kept as we are waiting for a headstone to be delivered next month.”

Other items taken from the grave include pot plants, glass butterflies on sticks as well as the iron rods the lanterns were hanging on.

Mrs Johnson said: “I just hope whoever has taken it has the decency to bring the items back, even if they place them by the gate, just bring them back.”

Mr Johnson contacted Corsham Town Council which manages the cemetery to ask if cemetery staff might have moved the items for any reason. Deputy town clerk Pete Biggins told him staff had not moved anything and expressed his shock at the thefts.