A DISTRAUGHT family have hit out after thieves stole statues from the graves of two children who died in a house fire 11 years ago.

Brothers Carl Taylor and Stevie Peel died in a fire at their home in Wood Vue, Spennymoor, County Durham, on Carl’s seventh birthday, on June 18, 2001.

John and Christine Taylor have never been able to afford headstones, so instead placed two small stone angel statues on their graves, in York Hill Cemetery, Spennymoor, shortly after the funeral.

But when Mrs Taylor went to the cemetery on Monday – on what would have been Carl’s 18th birthday – she discovered the statues had been taken.

“I am absolutely distraught,”

said Mrs Taylor.

“This is all I had left, it has been my lasting memory of them. I can’t believe someone would take them.”

PC Jamie Rielly, from Spennymoor police, said the theft happened between Tuesday, June 5, and Monday.

“Mrs Taylor went to visit the graves on what would have been Carl’s birthday and that is when she discovered they had gone,” he said.

“It is horrendous and I am appalled by what has happened.

I am convinced someone will have seen them or know something about this. I want to know who has got these figurines as they are not the run of the mill kind.

“This family have never been able to afford headstones, so this is what they had instead. They were one of the lasting memories of their boys’ lives.”

On the night of the fire, Carl and Stevie were asleep when Mrs Taylor checked their room at ten past eight, before she and her husband went out for a game of bingo, leaving other family members babysitting.

By 8.30pm, smoke was pouring from the front bedroom and the family and neighbours tried to reach the boys.

Carl died in his bed from breathing in the smoke, but Stevie survived for seven weeks.

Evidence was given at the inquest that Stevie might have set fire to a card with a lighter, although Mrs Taylor said she hated smoking and this could not have happened.

Witnesses to the theft are asked to call PC Rielly on 101 or via 0800-555-111.