A family have spoken of their heartbreak after a sign placed in memory of their 16-year-daughter following her death from cancer, was stolen for her memorial garden in Narberth.

Shelley-Louise Harries, known to her family and friends as Shelz, died on January 14, 2010, following a short but valiant fight against lymphoma cancer.

Soon after her death her parents, Paul and Beverley, asked the council’s permission to care for a small parcel of land in Narberth town centre and plant a garden in her memory.

“The council agreed to our request and so Shelz Garden was formed,” said her father, Paul Harries. “We’ve tended it every day since and we positioned a little sign in the ground that read ‘Memorial garden in memory of Shelz, our shining dream, forever in our hearts. A true inspiration to all who knew her’.

“I drive past it every day and blow a kiss in her direction so naturally it means so much to us to see the garden flourish and be enjoyed by everybody else around.”

But in the early hours of last Saturday morning, a CCTV camera that had been installed on a commercial garage captured images of a man and a woman approach the garden and remove Shelley’s sign.

“They walked away from the garden and the man could be seen holding the sign,” continued Paul. “To see this happening to Shelz’s garden has broken us.”

Fortunately, as a result of the CCTV footage, the family were able to track down the sign and yesterday morning (Saturday, October 29), it was returned.

“We’re so relieved to have it back but also still very saddened that this has had to happen. All we ask is for people to show some respect for the things around them and stop putting people like ourselves through so much pain.”