Thieves have stolen a disabled baby's specially-programmed hearing aids, the only way he can hear his mother's voice.

When he was born 11 months ago, Harvey was blind, virtually deaf and suffered brain damage.

Now thieves have stolen his hearing aids after breaking into the family home in Barcombe Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton.

Harvey was one of the first babies of his age in the UK to be fitted with the special hearing aids and with vibration sensors which pick up speech sounds and send signals to the brain.

A new pair is being prepared but, in the meantime, Harvey is unable to hear anything.

The thieves also took CDs, jewellery, computer games and a broken mobile phone carrying photographs of Harvey in its memory.

His mother, Hayley, 16, often looked at the pictures. She said the photographs were priceless and urged anyone finding the phone to hand it in. But it is the aids she wants back more than anything. She branded the thieves "sick".

Family friend Christine Wood, from Coldean, Brighton, said: "When he wears the aids we'd play pat-a-cake with him and you should see him smile. He's such a lovely little boy."

Harvey's grandmother, Tricia, said: "The hearing aids are of no use to anyone other than Harvey.

"They have probably been dumped somewhere and I would urge anyone finding them to hand them in."

Brighton and Hove police are investigating the break-in.

A spokeswoman said: "It is terrible. It goes to show burglars have no feelings for their victims."

She appealed to anyone who finds the hearing aids or anyone offered the stolen goods on the black market to contact the station. Anyone with information, should call 0845 6070999.