Thieves raided the military grave of a soldier who was shot dead in Iraq.

Personal items, including letters, cards and a wreath, have been taken from the burial site of Sergeant Paul Connolly in Snell Hatch Cemetery in Crawley.

Sgt Connolly, 33, was found dead from a bullet to the head at Shaibah base, near Basra, on Boxing Day 2004.

His family leave tokens of their love on his grave but many have been removed.

His mother Helen Connolly, 53, of TathamCourt, Broadfield, Crawley, said she was disgusted by the thieves' actions but would not be put off from leaving personal items on her son's grave.

She said: "Boxing Day was the first anniversary of his death. The whole family went to the grave to lay a poppy wreath and leave Christmas and birthday cards and a Christmas tree.

"They all seem to have gone missing.

"It's really upsetting that people can be so callous to take things from a grave but I'll keep putting things on the grave.

Why should we be beaten?"

Mrs Connolly said the grave was very important to the family. During the summer, she and her youngest daughter Nicola would even pour a can of Fosters over beer-loving Paul's grave before sitting on a nearby bench to drink Bacardi Breezers.

Crawley Borough Council told Mrs Connolly the cemetery's warden would keep a closer eye on the grave.

But Mrs Connolly said it would be impossible to watch it 24 hours a day and perhaps CCTV cameras should be installed around the graveyard.

The British Legion said it would replace the stolen poppy wreath.

Sgt Connolly joined the army at 18 and served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Germany, Canada and Kenya.

He is survived by three children, Sallyanne, 12, Katie, ten, and Hannah, six. His inquest will take place in the summer.