THE devastated family of a York teenager who died after being hit by a car on the city's outer ring road have had a precious memento of him stolen from their home.

Just two days before the burglary at their home in Brecksfield, Skelton, the heartbroken family of 18-year-old Matthew Wilson had been paying tribute to him at his funeral at St Giles' Church in the village.

After his brother, Paul, returned from a night out in the early hours of Saturday, a thief sneaked through an unlocked door at the house and stole a gold tie pin which belonged to Matthew, along with cash and his mother Susan's purse, while the family slept upstairs.

The pin had been given to Matthew, one of eight children, by his sister, Kelly McCarthy, as a present for being an usher at her wedding in 1999.

Mrs Wilson had been looking at it the night before and had told her youngest son, Ryan, he could have it as a keepsake to remember Matthew by.

Kelly, who lives near Wakefield, told the Evening Press: "Words just cannot express how devastated the whole family is at Matthew's death. The tie pin had quite a lot of sentimental value, and someone stealing it has just added to the upset."

She urged anyone who knows where the pin is or who has any information to contact the police.

The pin was 22-carat gold and was in a black Beaverbrooks case. It was mostly plain but had a pattern on either side.

The stolen purse was found dumped a few streets away in Arthur Place.

The family were at Matthew's bedside when he died in Leeds General Infirmary after he was hit by a car in the early hours of April 8.

He had been walking home along the stretch of road near the Clifton Moor shopping complex after a night out with friends at the nearby ikon & diva nightclub.

Kelly said: "He was cute and very cheeky. He always had a smile and something nice to say. Everybody loved him."

She said Matthew, a former pupil at Canon Lee School, in Clifton, had left his job at North Eastern Tyres and Exhausts, at Clifton Moor, shortly before the tragedy.

Anyone with information should contact police on 01904 631321.

Updated: 12:03 Monday, April 23, 2001