A PENSIONER'S birthday was ruined when thieves stole pots of flowers from outside her Worcester home.

Mary Harris' daughters worked all day setting out about £70 worth of plants and bedding in front of their mother's St John's sheltered accommodation - only to see them stolen the night before her 89th birthday.

But the community has rallied round Mrs Harris after reading about the theft in an appeal pinned outside her home, in Chantry House, Glebe Close.

One elderly woman offered money to pay for the flowers, a young couple gave a bouquet and residents from the Westhaven home, in Martley Road, donated two trays of plants.

But Mrs Harris is still angered by the theft, which happened last Tuesday night.

"I bought the plants to make the garden look nice and it had been there a couple of weeks. Then it all went off the front square," she said.

"We're not going to put pots out there anymore because they will just come and take them," added Mrs Harris, who paid for the display with neighbour Nancy McGorrigan.

Six tubs, containing pansies, hyacinths and geraniums, were taken last Tuesday night, two years after other plant pots were left smashed in the street.

A planned family meal the following day was cancelled because Mrs Harris did not feel in the mood.

"They must know it's sheltered accommodation with old people here who enjoy walking around here looking at the garden," said her daughter, Mary Smith. "They should just think - What if it was done to their mum?"