A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy left traumatised after his family home was burgled is happy again thanks to the support of local police.

When Harvey Daniell’s home in Buckover was burgled during the recent half term holidays, the young boy was left unable to sleep at night and became very clingy towards his mother.

During the burglary on Tuesday, May 31 Harvey had been out for the day with mum Justine Stoffel, sister Chloe, two, and brother Max, one.

The family were at Cattle Country, near Berkeley, when Harvey’s dad Richard Daniell returned from work to find their home had been burgled.

The back door had been smashed, and items such as the television, jewellery box and a laptop full of family photographs were missing. The burglars also left the house in a mess having emptied draws and cupboards.

"When my partner rang I left Harvey with a friend and came straight home, but when the children eventually came home the house was still a mess because of the forensics taking evidence and Harvey saw the back door and he knew what had happened.

"Ever since then he wouldn’t sleep, I had to stay with him. He wouldn’t play by himself. We had to be with all the time. I asked him one night why he wouldn’t close his eyes and he whispered to me because of the baddies," said the mum-of-three.

Justine was so concerned about her son that she contacted local PCSO Dawn Golding from Thornbury Police Station, who came and visited Harvey bringing with her a police helmet for the four-year-old to keep in his bedroom window.

"She spent the morning with him, got him a helmet, Harvey spoke to another officer on the radio, he got to sit in the police car and Dawn spoke with about the baddies.

"Harvey is so much happier now and sleeping. The police, especially Dawn, have been so supportive I just want to say thank you," said Justine.

PCSO Dawn Golding said helping families, like the Daniells, was just part of her job.

She said: "I was just doing my job, and helping people like Harvey and his mum is why I joined the police."

The Daniell’s home in Buckover was one of three properties to be targeted on Tuesday, May 31 in the Thornbury area.

Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who was in the Buckover area between midday and 1pm on Tuesday, May 31. They believe the thieves would have used a vehicle.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the South Gloucestershire priority crime team on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.