A HEARTBROKEN mum is pleading people to do the right thing after a collectable was stolen from her baby's grave.

Katherine Lino, 29, buried her son James Jose at Durrington Cemetery shortly after he passed away after an emergency caesarean in August last year.

At the time, Katherine's sister had given him a little porcelain rabbit from the Wade Whimsies collection to be placed by his grave.

But the gift, which carries great sentimental value, has recently been taken.

Katherine explained: "Ten days ago I went up to the cemetery after the lockdown. I hadn't been there for a while and the grass was overgrown so I cut it all back and it was still there.

"Me and my husband went up there yesterday and the little rabbit that was given to him was gone.

"I couldn't believe it. We knew that it was a rare piece, however, when she gave it to him she wanted it to be put there.

"I didn't think anybody would ever take it, who would ever take something from a baby's grave?"

Katherine, who lives in Bulford, gave birth to her baby through an emergency c-section following concerns she couldn't feel any movements.

Despite the best efforts of medics in Southampton, James Jose passed away soon after he was born.

By speaking out, she hopes whoever took his precious gift will do the right thing and return it.

"It's still raw but we've been trying to think of positive things we can do in his name," she added.

"I think he's with me all the time but he doesn't have very much and that's his space, the place where he was put to rest.

"[The rabbit] might be worth something to them but it's worth a lot more to us.

"I wish they could just bring it back."