A DEVASTATED theft victim who has a son battling cancer is begging a heartless pickpocket to return her stolen iPhone.

Gourock woman Tracy McGartland was left utterly helpless when she realised her handset had been swiped from her pocket as she was travelling on a bus.

Her phone contains all her contacts and hospital appointments for her 18-year-old son, Lee, who has a major test coming up at the Beatson cancer treatment centre next month.

Tracy, 47, of Royal Street, said: “I am absolutely devastated. My whole life is on that phone; all the doctors and the phone numbers for my son.

“I need it back. This is a big moment for us and it is the last thing we need.

“I would offer a reward or anything just to get it back.”

The mum-of-two told how the family has lived under a cloud ever since Lee was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma when he was only only three years of age.

Since then he has undergone years of treatment and has had to attend hospital on a frequent basis.

Tracy said: “It is very, very stressful for us all. There is a high likelihood that his cancer can come back and this is a big, big test at the Beatson.

“I need all the information that is on my phone.

“Lee’s cancer diagnosis was devastating for us.

“I spent a year in Yorkhill Children’s Hospital with him at the time.”

Tracy was making her way home to Gourock on the McGill’s Greenock to Largs bus at around 1pm last Friday when she realised that her phone was missing.

She said: “I was carrying lots of bags of shopping. I put them down. When I stood up I felt something but when I got off the bus I realised my phone was away.”

Tracy, who reported the theft to the police, told the Telegraph that she needs the phone back immediately.

She said: “I am in the middle of moving house. All my contacts for that are on the phone as well. I just can’t believe it.”

Tracy, a hotel housekeeper, who also has another son, Robert, 24, said that she’d saved up to buy the iPhone.

She said: “I work on a zero hours contract and I don’t have much money, so this the last thing I need.”

After being contacted by the Telegraph today, Greenock police confirmed that they are following a positive line of enquiry.