Mother appeals to burglars to return stolen laptop with last photos of daughter before she died, aged eight

Chloe, who had the rare degenerative illness, Batten's Disease, died earlier this month after a chest infection

Chloe McCance, who had the rare degenerative illness, Batten's Disease, died earlier this month after a chest infection

A grieving mother has described her distress after her house was ransacked by burglars just days after she buried her daughter.

The thieves took a laptop containing the last photographs of eight-year-old Chloe McCance and Christmas presents.

The burglary happened when the family were away from their house at Sinclair Avenue in Bangor, County Down on Friday night.

Chloe, who had the rare degenerative illness, Batten's Disease, died earlier this month after a chest infection.

Her mother, Lynda McCance, has appealed for the return of the computer.

She spoke of the families shock at the crime, which came despite the presence of sympathy cards and medical equipment.

“We can’t believe that after everything we’ve been through that it could get any worse,” she said.

“We went out on Friday, we were getting tribute tattoos done and we came home and we just sat down because we’d got a takeaway,” she added.

“I went into the hall and discovered her bedroom door was open which just wasn’t right because we have not been in that room since her funeral.

“When I went in I knew straight away someone had been there and had gone through her drawers.

“To think somebody has trespassed and went into her room and seen everything and just done what they’ve done to us.

“I don’t want Christmas to happen. I can’t bear to think about it.”

Common symptoms of Batten’s Disease include visual impairment resulting in blindness, epilepsy, muscle spasms, decline of speech, language and swallowing skills and the loss of mobility.

Chloe was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition when she was just 18 months old.