A mother was left distraught after a toy was stolen from the grave of her dead child.

Leonie Edgington, 25, of Sompting Court, Shoreham, discovered the theft two months after her son Edward William was buried.

Mrs Edgington, who has two other sons, suffered a miscarriage after 14 weeks.

She appealed for people to have more respect for the dead and their families.

She said: "I feel very upset and annoyed. I just can't understand why someone would take something off a baby's grave."

The toy was a grey rabbit given to Mrs Edgington by her child-minder's nine-year-old daughter. It had been wrapped in plastic to keep it dry.

Mrs Edgington, a nurse, did not want to identify the cemetery for fear of putting other people off using it.

She said: "There is no gravestone yet but it's obvious it is a child's grave. There are flowers and a little white teddy.

"Because it was two months ago I went down and realised immediately something was wrong.

"You just don't take things off people's graves. I think parents should educate children to have respect and to think before they touch."