HEARTLESS thieves have left an Ipswich family distraught today after stealing a huge floral tribute from a grave.The thieves took the rectangular flower display, featuring an Irish Setter, and two other baskets from Donald Cackett's grave at Ipswich Crematorium.

HEARTLESS thieves have left an Ipswich family distraught today after stealing a huge floral tribute from a grave.

The thieves took the rectangular flower display, featuring an Irish Setter, and two other baskets from Donald Cackett's grave at Ipswich Crematorium.

Mr Cacketts ex-wife, Sally, is devastated by the theft.

She said: "It is a disgrace. It is one of the vilest acts someone could ever carry out and I can't explain how I feel about it. I am very angry and upset.

"Goodness knows why they took it, it goes beyond explanation. The display was so distinctive it could not be used for anybody else.

"The flowers would have been really heavy to lift because it had been raining and the oasis was still full of water, so it can't have been kids."

The dog portrait was made of chrysanthemums with carnations in each corner and cost Mrs Cackett £95.

Mrs Cackett, 69, of Westholme Road, Ipswich, had the flower display specially made for the funeral on April 22.

Six days later her son Mark, 43, moved the flowers to the plot in the crematorium where Mr Cackett's ashes had been buried.

Mrs Cackett added: "Mark adored his dad and is broken up by the theft."

Donald Cackett, 72, died on the April 13 at Witnesham Nursing Home a month after being transferred from Ipswich Hospital where he had undergone eight months treatment for chirrosis of the liver.

The retired Tesco warehouse manager had owned an Irish Setter called Rusty for 17 years and kept a picture of him next to his bedside throughout his stay in hospital.

Mrs Cackett said: "Donald was tremendously fond of Rusty who was very loyal and friendly and went everywhere with him.

The flowers were last seen at around 4.40pm on Friday when Mrs Cackett paid her daily visit to the grave.

Although the couple was divorced they remained close and Mrs Cackett regularly visited her ex-husband when he was ill in hospital.

But on Saturday Beryl McMurtry, a family friend, went to see the display and discovered that the focal point and two other baskets of flowers were missing.

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