Memorial to two children demolished by vandals

Kelly MorganBBC News
News imageBBC Sister and brother; Millie and Jackson photographed as young childrenBBC
Millie and Jackson, pictured as young children, died in a crash in Wiltshire in October 2016

Family tributes to Millie, 12, and her brother Jackson, 17, who died in a crash on their way home from school, have been vandalised for a third time.

The small, secluded memorial was set up near the crash site on the A36 near Steeple Langford in October 2016.

It included childhood teddies and tributes from a former teacher but the family noticed it had been damaged again by vandals on 10 November.

Wiltshire Police is urging anyone with information to come forward.

"Millie was 12-years-old, just had a birthday and Jackson was 17, just finished his A levels," Mrs Grant said.

On 10 October 2016, Jackson was driving his sister home from Kingdown School when, about five minutes from home, a campervan pulled out of a layby.

As Jackson tried to swerve to avoid it, he lost control.

"Motherly instinct"

"I heard the ambulance and all the sirens ... my motherly instinct kicked in so I went off in the car to see if I could find out what was wrong and I was met at the bottom of the road by the police."

News imageSunflowers, a large white flower and a ladybird zip tied to a tree at the memorial site
Flowers and ornaments have been zip tied to a tree in an attempt to keep them safe from future acts of vandalism

It took Mrs Grant five years to find the courage to visit the crash site and she said she did not understand why anybody would want to destroy their space.

It was vandalised in April and July and most recently some time around 10 November, police said.

"I couldn't face driving along this road ... and then it would have been Jackson's birthday ... and I finally made it to here to see exactly where it was and decided it's time for me to place my little memories here [at the memorial site].

"It wasn't easy but now it's a little place I can drive by, blow a kiss ... just come for special times ... it's nothing to anybody else ... why?"

Three times the memorial has been wrecked with flowers, bulbs and teddies destroyed and thrown into tangled trees and bushes in a field below.

"Heartless person"

"This is where they lost their lives.

"It's hard enough to have lost them but for this to be destroyed three times, I mean there's a heartless person out there.

"It's beginning to feel personal now, so all I can say is if you're out there have the guts to come and speak to me and tell me what your problem is."

News imageMum Salli, husband Jamie, Millie and Jackson dressed as pirates
Mother Salli, husband Jamie, Millie and Jackson, pictured when the children were younger

PC Dean Wright from Wiltshire Police said: "This is an incredibly personal site for the family and to have it repeatedly vandalised has caused a great deal of distress.

"The family is understandably devastated by this third incident as it now feels personal, as opposed to being perpetrated my mindless youths.

"We are carrying out enquiries and would urge anyone with information to please get in touch."

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