THE pastor of a church in Rhyl said he was left distraught after his mobile phone was seemingly stolen while he was working at a charity shop in the town.

Tom McDonald, who became pastor at Good News in the Community, on Marsh Road, in February, said his phone contained many treasured photos of happy memories with his young son, Jacob.

He was working at the new Ahava homelessness charity shop in the town’s White Rose Centre at the time, and has since informed police.

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This, Tom said, happened on Friday (May 3), though the shop does not yet have its closed circuit television system up and running.

Tom said: “My phone is connected to the shop’s card machine via Bluetooth to take card payments.

“I left the counter for probably no more than 15 seconds to put a pair of trousers on a rack, and came back to find the phone had gone.

“Jacob and I came over here in January from Northern Ireland. He has severe learning difficulties, so while he’s five now, he he may still have the mental capacity of a one-year-old.

“There were pictures on there from when he was first born, so there are loads of memories on that phone that I’ll never get back.

“I just wanted to appeal to anyone who’s seen or heard anything. I’m not worried so much about the phone, the photos and the memories on it are more important to me.

“They could even keep the phone, as long as they promised to send me back the photos on it.”

Laura Coates, a friend of Tom’s and member of the parish at Good News in the Community, also appealed for help on his behalf.

She added: “It’s so cruel. The phone contains all of his photos of his disabled son.

“He’s a pastor, and he helps a charity helping local homeless people – to do that to him is not fair.”

North Wales Police has been contacted for further comment.