A NEWPORT grandmother was left heartbroken after precious photographs of her grandson, who died four years ago, were stolen by thieves.

Christine Griffiths, 60, of St Woolos Road, Newport, had her house broken into in the early hours of Friday morning as she slept upstairs and treasured photos were taken of her grandson, Jon-Paul Young.

Jon-Paul, of Elgar Avenue, Alway, had been playing with friends in June, 2000 near a conveyor belt dumping sand at a rate of ten tonnes a minute.

The 14-year-old died when the sand mountain on which he was playing at United Marine Aggregates sand and gravel site, at Lillehall Street, slipped. He suffocated.

The photographs of Mrs Griffiths' grandson were inside a gold locket which was taken and her purse and Mrs Griffiths is heartbroken.

She said: "The photos are something I can't replace. The photograph of Jon-Paul in my purse was a school photo and the most recent one I had of him and every time I opened my purse I saw him.

"It is a particularly upsetting time now as Jon-Paul would have been 18-years-old at the end of May and it is almost four years since he died.

"My purse doesn't matter to me. I can replace that but the photo I can't replace."

Mrs Griffiths said she carried it everywhere with her and every picture she had of Jon-Paul was precious.

She said: "I think about him every day and when I opened my purse I could see him every day.

"It has been a nightmare I just hope that somehow I will be able to get back the photographs that I treasure."

Inspector Mike Davies, of Gwent Police, said: "We would urge anyone who has any information about this theft to contact Newport Central CID with the information on 01633 838111."