Sisters have been left devastated after the disappearance of their younger brother’s ashes.

Susan Porter and her sister Linda visit the Allum Lane cemetery every few months to lay flowers and cards on their mother Kathleen’s grave.

But on their visit last Wednesday to lay cards for Christmas, the pair discovered that their younger brother John’s ashes – which had been in a brass urn next to the grave for the past five years – were missing.

Susan, who lives in St Neots in Cambridgeshire, said: “To say we were upset is putting it mildly. How can anyone be so callous as to take our brother’s ashes from beside our mum's graveside? It is beyond belief.

“I spoke to one of the groundsmen there and he said how sorry he was, but there is no way anyone can be stopped from coming into the cemetery, as Allum Lane cemetery is a public place which I understand.”

The Porter family lived in Aberford Road, Borehamwood, for 48 years – moving to the area when brother John, who was the youngest in the family, was only two-years-old.

He moved to Hemel Hempstead when he married and later to Doncaster with his family, but John, who suffered from bipolar disorder, always had a very close relationship with his mother.

After his death, Susan and Linda had tried to get his ashes buried with her but unfortunately couldn't get permission, so decided the next best thing was to put some of his ashes in a brass container next to the grave.

The family have not reported the matter to the police, but are appealing for anyone with information about what may have happened to the urn to come forward.

Miss Porter added: “We are devastated that in the town that John loved so much somebody could have stolen his last remains from beside his beloved mum.

“It's a brutal blow for me and Linda because we live in Cambridge and can't get down as often as we would like. When we do come to the graveside it's to see our mum and John, now we won't be able to do that.

“If somebody took the brass container for the value of it, because they were 'hard up', I would sooner have given them the money they needed. John’s container with his ashes is priceless to us.

“To anyone who may have taken it or have information as to its whereabouts, please have some compassion for my sister and myself and return our beloved brothers remains to us.”

Both Susan and Linda would like anyone with information about the whereabouts of the urn to contact reporter Victoria Oliphant on 07824 530 110 or at victoria.oliphant@london.newsquest.co.uk