IT WAS his first Christmas without his dad, who had died in a lorry collision, and his mum had bought him his very first bike.

But heartless thieves stole 10-year-old Conall Ifould’s present while he was away on a respite break with The Honeypot Children’s Charity, on Sunday, January 29.

Heather Ifould, Conall’s mum, said one of her other son’s had heard a sound early that morning.

The mother-of-three, of Hawke Close, said: “I had a really bad cold, I’d gone to bed and my son woke me at quarter past 12 and had heard the back garden gate go – I could see nothing.

“I got up at half past eight and it was gone.”

The gate to their next door neighbour’s rear garden had also been left open but their bikes had not been taken.

Conall taught himself to ride in November and received the beloved bike on his first Christmas without his father.

As previously reported by the Advertiser, Conall’s father, lorry driver David, 55, died in a collision on the A27 in October.

He said: “I felt really excited because it was my first bike I could ride. “I was really upset because it was my first bike I’d ever had.

“I liked riding it.” The bicycle, a Blank Media BMX, had had accessories added to it.

Mrs Ifould reported the theft to the police, but so far nobody has been arrested over the incident.

She said: “There’s not a lot they can do.

“The police didn’t even come out, they just spoke to me over the phone.”

She tried to find the bike and contacted a local bike shop, which repairs and sells second hand cycles, but was advised it had most likely been broken down to sell as parts.

The 10-year-old is one of the main carers for his mother alongside his two other brothers.

Mrs Ifould, who suffers from fibromyalgia, added: “I know it happens but if they feel guilty I would like it back.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about Conall, he’s only 10-years-old and it was his first bike.”