Kind stranger has replaced boy's stolen bike which had been a Christmas present

On the evening of Tuesday, December 26, Thomas Bannister, 11, had his new bike stolen in Springfield Close, Gainsborough, after leaving a friend’s house at around 8.30pm.

The Lincolnshire Police report alleges a young boy was on his bicycle with a friend when they have been approached by two older teenagers.

The police believe one of the teenagers was also on a bike and the other on foot, both are described as wearing black coats and being between 13 and 15-years-old. One of the teenagers had short dark hair and had a hood up.

The bike was taken from Thomas after he was threatened with what he believes to be a knife.

Karen said: “I worked and saved so hard to buy Thomas a nice bike, for him to then be threatened with a knife and his bike stolen off from him.

“Thomas now doesn’t want to leave the house on his own.

“Thomas has already been through so much after his father, Mark, died of a brain tumour five years ago.”

After posting about what had happened to Thomas on Facebook, a good Samaritan came forward and replaced Thomas’s bike.

Karen said: “A very kind anonymous person has been to Halfords and got Thomas another bike, exactly the same.”

n Anyone with information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 266 of December 26, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.