A DEVASTATED youngster has been knocked off track by the theft of a £600 bike that he saved for a year to buy.

After putting his pocket money aside and taking on extra chores to raise cash, 12-year-old Joe Phillimore was over the moon to finally buy his dream bike in January.

When he broke his wrist a month later the white dirt jump bike, with distinctive blue rims, was locked up safely in the shed at his home in Squires Lane, Kempsey, near Worcester.

After receiving the all-clear from his doctor, the Hanley Castle High School pupil could not wait to get back in the saddle.

But when his friends called for him on Monday, April 23, he was shocked to discover the bike had gone.

His mum Jenny said: “Joe was absolutely gutted. He really did save up every penny he had to buy that bike and we cannot believe that something like this has happened.”

She said the bike was the only thing taken from the shed and that it had still been in the shed the previous Monday when Joe was in there with his friends.

She added: “All the time he’d been injured Joe was looking forward to the day when he could go out riding again.

"He was so determined to save up for it and I think he has lost a bit of faith in things because of what has happened.

“We can’t afford to replace it, and we’re hoping someone might recognise the bike or know where it is and let the police know.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting incident 22CC27281C12.