CALLOUS thieves burgled a grandmother the day before the funeral of her teenage grandson who died after falling into Weymouth Harbour.

Christopher Vaughan’s grandmother Iris Meyer, 80, who lives in Cardiff, had returned home from a doctor’s appointment to find her home had been ransacked, with cash and jewellery taken, including engagement and wedding rings given to her by her late husband.

She had not wanted to tell Christopher’s mum Julia Vaughan and partner Keith Irons until after his funeral but broke the news following the wake.

Mr Irons said he and Ms Vaughan had visited Mrs Meyer on Monday, while still coming to terms with Christopher’s death.

He added: “There is never a good time for a burglary but the day before your grandson’s funeral has got to be the worst. It is just something else and it all seems to have come at once.”

Christopher, 18, who lived in Kiddeminster before moving to Weymouth last summer, was pulled out of the harbour at 2.30am on Thursday, January 9 but later died in hospital. His funeral took place in Birmingham. Ms Vaughan said: “It was very moving. There were about 300 people, family, friends and people who had never even met Chris who just felt deeply affected by what happened.

“Me, Chris’s father and sister Sarah said a few words and tried to make people laugh and remember him. Afterwards people who did not even know Chris said they felt like they had a really good insight into what he was like, it was a really good tribute to Christopher.”

The service was taken by The Rev Matthew Tomlinson, who also knew Christopher.

The Cardiff-born youngster’s ‘last song’, played at his cremation, was Dacw Nghariad, a Welsh love song which he used to sing to girlfriend Tara Neels, who he lived with in Weymouth.