Please give us back precious memories

Jan 23 2008 by Andrew Hirst, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A HUDDERSFIELD family has made a direct plea to thieves: Please give us our memories back.

Burglars broke into the home of Alan and Elaine Berry and their haul including a camcorder and two digital cameras.

The digital pictures and camera footage taken from the house on Fleminghouse Lane, Waterloo, shows the family together at Christmas, along with a family holiday in Portugal last year.

Alan, 55, said: “We realise we may not get the cameras back, but please can the thieves have a heart and send back the memory cards?’’

The burglary happened between 3pm and 4pm last Friday afternoon.

The haul also included a Nintendo Wii, jewellery, cash, a Tom Tom satellite navigation system and a Manchester City watch.

Alan and Elaine have been married for 30 years and the Panasonic camcorder was a wedding anniversary gift from Elaine to Alan when they celebrated the landmark last August.

The couple used the camcorder on holiday in Portugal late last summer, when they went with their daughter, Keeley, 14, son Aiden, 22, and his girlfriend, 18-year-old Claire Edwards.

All the cameras were used at Christmas, when the couple’s other two daughters came back home.

Kirsty, 28, and partner Mark Ashcroft have two daughters, two-year-old Fay and Ellie who is under one. They live in Fartown.

Also on the film are Alan and Elaine’s other daughter, Kim, and her partner, John, who live in London.

“It was great to have photographs and footage of all the family together, especially our grand-daughters,’’ said Alan. “It’s such a shame to have them stolen. All we want is them back.’’

The thieves should either return the cards to the house or send them to Andy Hirst at the Examiner newsdesk, PO Box A26, Queen Street South, Huddersfield HD1 2TD.