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David Cameron reunited with bicycle after newspaper search

27/07/2008

David Cameron has been reunited with his stolen bicycle after a Sunday newspaper used local contacts to recover the bike.

The Conservative party leader reported his bike stolen after it disappeared while he shopped at a Tesco near his home on Wednesday.

Mr Cameron chained his bike to a railing before entering the supermarket to buy salad, only to emerge and find it had been stolen.

But after the Sunday Mirror newspaper worked with "local community elder" Ernest Theophile, the bicycle has been found missing its front wheel in a nearby side street, but with Mr Cameron's helmet and lock still attached.

"Thank you very much indeed," the old Etonian told the newspaper.

"I'm very surprised to have it back, it's incredible. I never thought I'd see it again.

"It's priceless to me. I've done over a thousand miles on it and three sponsored bike rides of 250 miles each, so it's like an old friend.
It's fantastic."

He added: "I'm surprised they didn't take the helmet - you'd think they would get something for that on eBay."

Mr Theophile, a Labour voter who runs a "social business" selling electric-powered eco-bikes with the help of troubled teenagers to keep them from a life of crime, said he was glad to have helped.

"After a chat with some of the kids, I got their trust and respect and they told me where the bike was," he said.

"It just shows that the kids want to do good. It's just about the right communication with them."

He continued: "You never want to see anyone have their bike nicked - not even a Tory."