Florist Pam Bastable made the heart-shaped wreath of roses to mark the sixth anniversary of the death of her brother, Raymond Jones, from oesophageal cancer.

Pam's daughter left it on her uncle's grave at Durrington Cemetery, but when Pam visited, the wreath had vanished.

Pam, 58, of New Road, Rustington, said: "I think whoever did this is despicable and words fail me.

"You don't get any lower than that, to rob from a grave."

Devastated

The hand-crafted wreath would have cost around £125 to buy.

It had a card in it, which Pam had written to her brother and signed from all her family.

Raymond died at his Littlehampton Road home in 2002, aged 53.

Pam said his death devastated his family and the theft of the flowers was very difficult to take.

She said: "I feel that they have robbed from a dead person, not the living.

"My brother loved flowers and for someone to take them from him is horrible."

Flower-seller

Before he died, Raymond used to sell flowers outside The Cricketers pub in Broadwater Street West, Broadwater, every Sunday.

It is a tradition Pam has kept up, alongside running her own floristry business from her Rustington home.

In the years since Raymond's death, Pam has raised several thousand pounds for St Barnabas House hospice in his memory.

She said it was her brother's wish to give back to the hospice that helped him when he was ill, and said it helps her deal with his death.

Pam will be reporting the theft to Worthing police, but she said what happened will not stop her leaving flowers on Raymond's grave.

"If I was to stop it would be like letting them win, and I don't want that.

"The anniversary of my brother's death was a difficult day anyway, and I just hope whoever did this will read this and realise what they have done."


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