A devastated family are appealing for the return of priceless photographs of their baby son that were stolen when their house was burgled.

Andrea Robinson and Adrian Carter’s home on Grange Avenue, Yeadon, was broken into last Sunday afternoon.

A variety of valuables, including jewellery and electronic equipment, were taken but the thing that wrenched the couple’s hearts was the loss of irreplaceable photos of their seven month old baby.

Leo Carter was born with a heart condition and had to spend his early days in hospital, so the pictures taken of his first few months are especially precious to the family.

Andrea said: “We’ve had a few possessions taken but the most devastating were the photos of our son, who we are really lucky to have, on our digital camera and laptop.

“Those pictures are all we really want back, the rest are just things – though there was ring from my nan that had sentimental value – but those are memories and can’t be replaced.

“So we’re really appealing to anyone who might know where they are to have a heart and get the photographs back to us, whether it’s on a memory stick or whatever, that is all we’re after.” The family had been out all of Sunday afternoon, at a children’s party and then a meal, before returning just after 6pm to find their double glazed patio door had been smashed in and property, including a laptop, games console, digital camera, iPod and jewellery, stolen.

Andrea said: “That is what we walked in on. The police have been and taken fingerprints and are looking into it but none of our neighbours saw anything, I guess because it probably happened after it got dark – which is about 4pm at the moment.”

Aireborough & Wharfedale Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector Richard Coldwell said: “This is the first burglary we’ve had for several days and we’ve actually been doing really well with burglaries for the past four weeks.

“We’ve seen a downturn, contrary to what we’d expect after Christmas, so far.

“But that doesn’t mean it will continue or that people shouldn’t be vigilant, and we would advise them to keep lights on when they go out, using a switcher if necessary, and make sure their doors are locked and burglar alarms are activated. We’d also ask residents to keep computers and other hi-tech equipment out of view and, if they have anything of sentimental, economic or academic value stored on them, to back them up.”

Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to contact the Proactive Crime Team at Weetwood Police Station by dialling 101.

Anybody with information to help the family retrieve the photographs is asked to get in touch, via the Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer newspaper, by calling 07814 864380.