Olympic shot putter Sophie McKinna's kit stolen from outside home

Sophie McKinna said her two custom-made shot puts were taken

An Olympic shot putter said she was "gutted" after her equipment was stolen from her car ahead of a crucial championship.

Sophie McKinna, from Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, said two custom-made shots were taken from outside her home overnight on Monday.

The 28-year-old urged thieves to leave them near a police station ahead of the UK Indoor Championships this month.

"It couldn't be worse timing," she said.

"The only person they're of use to is me. It's really mindless - it just blows my mind."

McKinna, who is on an extended sabbatical from her work as a Norfolk Police custody officer, said she trained twice a day six times a week.

She said she was worried how the theft would affect her schedule and performance going into the UK Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham on 18 and 19 February.

McKinna became the first British woman in 36 years to reach a world shot put final in 2019, and competed in the Tokyo Olympics.

She is now hoping to qualify for the European Championships in Madrid ahead of the international event in August and was also training to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

"I was very, very upset about it," said McKinna.

"I train at the Wellesley ground in Great Yarmouth and I've always been an advocate for the town, so this is a real kick in the teeth.

"There's been a spate of local burglaries and I just feel so sorry for everyone."

Sophie Mckinna said that although the cost of importing the shots was high, their scrap value was small

The 28-year-old competed for England in Commonwealth Games last year

The athlete said the custom-made shots, which were in an Adidas holdall, had been imported from Japan and cost about £750 each, but most of that was for their delivery.

She said the value of the metal would be virtually nothing and in a tweet the family suggested it may have been dumped, and asked people to "check bins, hedges, anywhere you can think of. Thank you".

McKinna added that her grandad, former Norwich City manager Dave Stringer - who helped her train every day - was "devastated".

"He understands how important it is for me," she said.

Norfolk Police confirmed they were investigating the theft and urged anyone with information to contact them.