A FOUR-year-old boy with a rare form of cancer has had his wish of a dream holiday spoilt by thieves.

Burglars broke into the boy's home on Spenser Avenue, Bury, sometime between 8pm on 27 June 2011 and 4.30am the next morning.

The intruders used a ladder from an outbuilding to break in through an upstairs window.

Once inside, the burglars stole up to £20,000 worth of personal items, including a bike, a TV, computer consoles and games that had been wrapped up to celebrate the young boy just turning four and jewellery. They also stole the family's Ford Fiesta car which was found abandoned and burnt out nearby.

The family were preparing to leave for Paris on Thursday 30 June 2011 to visit Euro Disney.

Because of the young boy's rare form of cancer, the trip had been booked and paid for by the Starlight Children's Foundation.

The Foundation had given the family the tickets in a presentation box along with some spending money, which was also stolen by the intruders.

Police are now appealing to anyone who has information about the burglary to come forward.

Superintendent Mark Granby said: "What this family has been through is absolutely heartbreaking.

"The holiday had been paid for by the Make-a-Wish foundation and was to be the little boy's dream holiday. While they are still able to go away their spending money has been taken away from him by some cruel and heartless thieves.

"The family's circumstances have featured on a television documentary so we are investigating the possibility they have been deliberately targeted, which would make this an even more callous and cowardly act by the culprits who must have known the pain and upset their actions would cause.

"Apparently, this did not bother them and they stooped as low as to steal this little boy's spending money, which is unforgivable.

"We now need to give this family some peace of mind and find whoever is responsible. I want to appeal to anyone who either knows who might have done this or has information about the burglary to come forward. What may be seen as gossip could be vital to our investigation, so please call us.

"Officers from our Volume Crime Team and local Neighbourhood Policing Team will work tirelessly to track the offenders down.

"I would also like to directly appeal to the thieves themselves: You have caused a family who are already suffering unimaginable grief even more heartache. Show you have some decency and give what you have stolen back to this young boy and his family."

Anyone with information should call the Bury Volume Crime Team on 0161 856 8115 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.