A father of a fishing fan has hit out at thieves who stole precious equipment which belonged to his dead son.

The Wilkins family, of St Nicholas Road, Littlemore, Oxford, were distraught to have lost much-loved son and big brother, Steven, to cancer after a harrowing ten month battle. Steven died last month, just days after his 21st birthday.

But now their hurt has been made worse by thieves, who broke into a shed and stole his fishing equipment. Devastated dad John Wilkins said: "After the heartbreak of losing my son to cancer, you can imagine how we felt when we discovered that some scum had climbed over two garden walls to get into our garden, entered one of our sheds and stolen all Steven's gear."

Steven's brothers Richard, 18, and Gary, 16, were still very upset by their big brother's death, but the theft has hurt them even more. Mr Wilkins said: "Fishing was very much a family thing. We always went together.

"Now it won't be the same because we won't have Steven's gear with us." Steven, a former pupil at Oxford School, was a keen angler, who often went with his dad and uncle to fish at Sandford waters.

Over the years, Steven collected more than £2,000 worth of equipment, including six fishing rods, six reels and many accessories.

It was only when Mr Wilkins searched the shed for a hammer to help secure a willow tree planted in the Wilkins's garden in memory of their son, that the theft was discovered. Mr Wilkins said: "I can't believe it. I felt sick when I discovered it was all gone.

"Steven bought this equipment. It can't be replaced - it meant so much. The money value is not what matters. This was Steven's gear. It reminded us of him."

Police have been told but Mr Wilkins said he was not optimistic the thieves would be caught.

Story date: Thursday 08 April

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