A THIEF has stolen a bike from a German student who had stopped off in York city centre during a ride across the region.

The 16-year-old from Wuppertal was among a group of cyclists pedaling from Hull to South Tyneside, where they will join in celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of town twinning links.

One of the organisers, Tom Fennelly, said he was “absolutely outraged” to think that someone went out in York on Monday afternoon, possibly equipped to steal bicycles with a pair of large and strong bolt cutters, and took the bike from a large group of cycles locked together outside Central Library in broad daylight.

He urged anyone who could help find the Corratec mountain bike to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247.