A Dunstable mum was distraught to find that toys, an ornament and a plaque with a touching poem had been taken from her stillborn baby son's grave.

Hayley Stanton, 31, of New Woodfield Green, made the upsetting discovery on a visit to the cemetery, in Luton.

She said that it also appeared as if her son's grave had been turfed over.

All that remained was a little artificial Christmas tree and a plaque on a small wooden stake, no longer in the ground, marked with her son's name, Morgan David Towers Stanton.

Hayley, who has three surviving children, Liam, eight, Demee, six, and Ryan, four, was left overcome by grief.

She said: "I burst into tears. I phoned my mum straight away. I was sobbing. I feel like I've just buried him again, I am that hurt. I want it all back as it was."

The missing items include little cars, a small porcelain teddy and a glass plaque saying 'Grandson', which also featured a poem, which were all of great sentimental value.

Hayley said she called staff at the cemetery, in Crawley Green Road, and was advised to write in, and they would look into what had happened.

She said she was told that the items may have been stolen.

The situation is complicated by the fact that her baby son was stillborn.

As the burial was arranged by the Luton & Dunstable Hospital, Hayley and partner Michael Towers do not own the plot.

The mum was eight months pregnant when Morgan was stillborn, in December 2002.

A hospital spokesman said the facility at the cemetery was a way of supporting parents, to help them in their grief.

He suggested that Hayley should write to the hospital chaplain, so that the matter could be investigated.