THE granddaughter of football legend Wilf Mannion has been left devastated after a thief stole the photographer's camera during the wedding service.

The thief entered Sacred Heart Church, Middlesbrough, on Saturday, and took the digital camera while Philippa Mannion and Brad Plunkett, were getting married.

They have lost all of the pictures taken before the service of Philippa getting ready and arriving at the church with her father, Wilf Junior, and her bridesmaids.

Last night, the couple appealed for anyone with information about the camera or the memory stick to get in touch.

Philippa, 28, who lives with Brad in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, said: "I'm really upset about it. I'm just really shocked that somebody could do that."

Her husband, also 28, said: "We are devastated. We want this camera or, at least, the memory stick back.

"These are the first pictures of the day that have been stolen and we would appeal to whoever has the memory stick to send it back."

Professional photographer Mike Henderson said he put the Nikon D1X camera down in the porch at the back of the the church in Linthorpe Road after the bride and her father had walked down the aisle.

He went outside to get some more equipment and when he returned, the camera was gone.

He said. "It's a photographer's worst nightmare. I was devastated for them, knowing that they had lost the pictures.

"I'm not so bothered about the camera, I just want the memory stick back."

The person who stole the camera, or whoever has the camera now, can send the memory stick to police or to Mr Henderson, who can be contacted on (01642) 710486.