A DISTRAUGHT dad has made a direct appeal to the thieves who stole mementoes from his baby's grave.

Duane Caulton's daugther Isabelle was born prematurely and died in the arms of mum Debbie Miller.

Toys and lights have been stolen from her grave at Colchester Cemetery in Mersea Road.

Also in Friday's Gazette * Find out why armed police descended on Colchester town centre yesterday afternoon.

* Worried residents are fighting plans for a £15 million expansion of Colchester Academy.

* Cannabis with a street value of £7,500 was found growing in a house and shed in Greenstead.

See Friday's Gazette for the full stories. There's always much more in the newspaper than online.