A DISTRAUGHT mother is appealing to thieves to return a camera containing pictures of her new born baby.

Maria Pascoe, from White Close, High Wycombe, had her bag snatched while out shopping on Wednesday which contained a mobile phone, her purse and a digital camera.

The memory card in the camera was full of pictures of Mrs Pascoe's baby, which is now seven weeks old.

Mrs Pascoe, a full time mother-of-two, said: "It is very upsetting because they are valuable memories that I can never replace."

She has also had to cancel all her credit cards that were in her purse.

The incident took place between 2pm and 2.45pm in the Accessorize store in Church Street.

Mrs Pascoe had hung the bag on her child buggy while she went to pay for an item.

When she turned around again the bag was gone.

She said: "The shop was very busy and I didn't get a chance to see who it was that took my bag.

"I had been going backwards and forwards from the buggy and had my hand on it almost all of the time. They must have been quick and seen their chance to take it."

The bag is a large, black shoulder bag with a long handle. It opens via a flap with a silver catch on it. There is a zip on the reverse side.

Mrs Pascoe is now asking for the thieves to return the memory card.

She said: "The rest of the items are material things that can be replaced. It is the missing photos that are killing me. I don't even care about the camera. I just want the memory card with the photos on."

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the theft.

Anyone for information should call High Wycombe police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111