A RHYL pensioner has been left "devastated" by theft of eight hanging baskets donated to the community.

The first six hanging baskets were stolen from Rhyl Botanical Gardens (RBG) between Saturday, July 20 and Monday 22, with the final two being taken between Monday 22 and Thursday 25.

The floral displays were made by RBG volunteer Terry Brown, 76 of Rhyl, who has funded the baskets for five years and takes more three months to prepare them.

Mrs Brown said: "It's more than disappointing - it's devastating in all honesty.

"You do it with love and you do it for the community, which makes it so painful when this happens.

"Whilst we have had some vandalism there has not been anything stolen in the five years I have made the baskets. We don';t think it was children this time, as they always elave a mess and the baskets are completely gone.

"It's too clean, somebody knew what they were doing and has taken them for themselves."

The baskets were planted with petunias, verbena, bidens, fuschias and marguerites and had been hanging at the gardens' cafe since May.

Mrs Brown added: "The work is for the benefit of all the community and any loss is a loss to all of us. I hope these mean people are ashamed of themselves for depriving visitors of an additional garden attraction."

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: "We were called on Monday, July 22 at 3.27pm to a report of six hanging baskets full of flowers having been stolen from Rhyl botanical gardens.

"The report has been passed on to specialist officers and enquiries are ongoing."

Anyone with any information can contact police on 101 with reference number X103674.