Last updated at 16:59, Friday, 18 January 2013

A GRIEVING woman has been left devastated after a precious keepsake reminder of her recently deceased younger brother was stolen.

Doreen Davies was heartbroken to discover an antique model Rolls-Royce car displayed in tribute to her sibling had been stolen from outside her Barrow flat this week.

The 60-year-old is still coming to terms with the death of her beloved brother Jeffrey Smith in October following a long battle with cancer.

She kept the model, which Mr Smith gave to her 12 years ago, in an alcove outside the door to her flat in the Admiral Court housing complex.

Mrs Davies, who was in a coma for 10 days after falling ill during the Legionnaires’ outbreak in Barrow in 2002, said it was the only possession related to her brother that she had left.

“I’m so sad and angry,” she said. “I’m really struggling with the loss of my baby brother and to have this happen really knocked me for six.

“He died (aged 55) in my arms on October 30 in Manchester and I haven’t even scattered his ashes yet. I’m waiting for a nice day to do that.

“I loved him and that [model Rolls-Royce] is the only thing I’ve got – we didn’t take anything out of his flat when he died, we gave it all to charity. I don’t know who it is, but whoever it is must have relatives here and has got the keys to the front door,” she said.

“It’s just not right. It wouldn’t mean anything to anyone but me. I just want whoever took it to bring it back.”

Mrs Davies has not had an easy time since moving from Manchester to Barrow about 12 years ago.

She had only just begun to settle in to the town when she contracted Legionella in the 2002 outbreak and nearly died.

The Legionella bacteria caused her major organs to fail and she slipped into a coma that would last 10 days and have doctors fearing for the worst.

While she was unconscious, her mother died and Mrs Davies always regrets being robbed of the chance to say goodbye to her.

Anyone with information about the theft are asked to contact Barrow police on 101.

First published at 16:58, Friday, 18 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk