Cyclist, 88, seeks vintage bike stolen at Christmas

An appeal to find the vintage Rotrax bike has been shared more than 1,000 times on social media

The family of an 88-year-old cyclist is appealing for help after a vintage bicycle was stolen around Christmas.

The brown Rotrax was taken from a garden shed in Nottingham between 23 and 24 December.

An appeal to trace the bike has been shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook.

Elizabeth Lovatt said her father has had the "faithful friend" since 1950 and has ridden more than 300,000 miles on it.

'Absolutely irreplaceable'

She said the bicycle represented "a huge amount of personal cycling history" for her father - an experienced rider who has crossed many of the country's most famous cycling passes, and represented "absolutely irreplaceable" family memories of holidays around the UK.

"The Rotrax is special because it was a first class lightweight frame especially suited to my dad," she said.

"It was a tremendous shock to see the shed door forced open and discover the theft."

Rotrax Cycles was founded in Southampton and became well-known for its lightweight frames.