Archant
Thieves stole a shop's charity box which was raising money for a dying toddler just days before she lost her battle with cancer.
Cash was being raised for three-year-old Jaymie-Leigh Ring - who was battling a rare form of cancer - in Palmers Bakery in Ipswich. Thieves took the pot, which contained around £80 just days before Jaymie died.
The little girl's devastated gran, Leisa Driver, said:
"The collection pot carried a picture of Jaymie's face and had been in the bakery because the community wanted to raise money for Jaymie. We didn't really know about it because it was something the community wanted to do for her which is really nice.
"I think it is so unbelievable that anyone could steal a charity box."
Tina Smith, who works in the bakery, said: "We had four charity boxes in the bakery but they took the one with the most money in it. I think we had about £80 inside the box.
"The people who did this have no morals and it is such a low thing to do. It's disgusting.
"We never planned to raise money for her funeral. The community was raising money to take Jaymie and her family on a nice day out. We wanted to give her a limousine for the day and spoil her.
"But we have a new box out there now and the community has continued to raise money, now in memory of Jaymie.
"We have raised more than £1,000 and we are now raising money for Jaymie's headstone."
Jaymie was diagnosed with deadly Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PBB) last September.
"Despite how poorly she was, she was always happy and smiling," said Leisa. "She smiled her way through her illness."