A heartbroken teenager is appealing for the return of a precious memory card after her mobile phone was swiped in a fast-food shop in Bradford city centre.

The card has pictures and video footage of her little brother, who died suddenly in his sleep earlier this year.

Katie Rafferty had gone to get a sandwich in Subway on Bank Holiday Monday when a man approached her two friends sat at a table, asking them for money.

The 14-year-old had left her Blackberry on the table which the man covered with a piece of paper before disappearing with it.

The phone’s memory card has photos and treasured footage of Katie’s little brother who died on January 10 after having an epileptic fit in his sleep.

Devastated Katie is desperate to get the memory card back and hopes if anyone has bought her phone cheap, they will get it back to her.

Her mum Christine said: “We’re not bothered about the phone or how they got it. We just want the card back. Phones can be replaced, but photos and memories like that can’t. Katie was a wonderful big sister, she idolised Daniel.”

And she added: “The man had come into Subway with a clipboard or piece of paper and when he was speaking to Katie’s friends about how he needed money to pay for an operation so he could see properly, covered up the phone with the paper then picked it all up and walked off. Apparently police are looking at the shop’s CCTV, but they’ve told us the man would probably have sold it to get some quick money.”

Daniel, who was seven, was diagnosed with epilepsy two years ago, but had only had about three or four fits in that time so his death was an utter shock to his family who live in Lesmere Grove, Great Horton.

When he was five he was presented with a specially-adapted trike by Bradford bingo hall Mecca and the charity Whizz-Kidz.

to help him build up his strength and play out with his friends.

Daniel had Global Developmental Delay, which meant he was unsteady on his feet, had poor co-ordination and tired quickly.

The condition, caused by an extra chromosome, delayed him from walking until he was two and a half. Police have confirmed they are investigating the phone theft that was reported to them just after 5pm on Monday.