WHEN teenager Emma Johnson died in a car crash nearly a decade ago her father pledged she would always have flowers at the spot she died.

But now Melvin Johnson has been forced to break that vow after thieves stole the bouquets left in 19-year-old Miss Johnson’s memory at Parks Road, Oxford.

The former Cheney School and St James School pupil, from Church Hill Road, Cowley, was killed when the car in which she was a passenger crashed into a tree opposite the University Museum of Natural History on November 20, 1999.

Her parents have lain fresh flowers at the tree and at Oxford Crematorium, and in the teenager’s old room, every Saturday since, but they noticed the newest bunches left in Parks Road regularly started going missing about six months ago.

Mr Johnson, 52, said: “When Emma died, I made a vow I would bring her flowers every week. We like to think she can see what’s going on and we would not want her to think we had forgotten about her.

“It’s our way of showing she is always in our thoughts.”

Last weekend they left just one bunch, but by Monday it had been taken and for the first time in nearly 10 years, there were no flowers marking the spot where Miss Johnson died.

Electrician Mr Johnson said: “To think that someone could remove something like that is pretty unbelievable.

“It may have been 10 years ago, but it feels like yesterday — time doesn’t stop us feeling any less.”

He branded whoever was taking the flowers callous and pleaded for those responsible to put themselves in the Johnson’s position and leave them where they are as a memorial.

His wife, Alison, 51, said: “We left notes saying please don’t take them but still they have gone missing.

“It is a ritual for us and it probably seems petty to kick up a fuss, but it is very upsetting.”

Miss Johnson was working as a secretary for a law firm when she died.

Her parents, who also have a son, Andrew, 24, have not reported the thefts to the police as they did not believe they were legally entitled to leave the bouquets there.

But Mrs Johnson said: “It’s obvious what they are there for because you don’t put flowers by a tree just to decorate it. When I found out there were no flowers there, I was in tears.”

She thanked all the people who had left letters to the family at the tree offering condolences and messages of support over the years.

The county and city councils, and the University Museum, confirmed yesterday that they had not removed the blooms.