A motorcyclist has thanked ‘the power of the community’ who united to help him find his bike a month after it was stolen.

Lawrence Matthews thought he would never see his motorcycle again when it was taken while he was working at the Finnimore Industrial Estate at the end of August.

The black YBR 125 was valued at £900 and had left the Sidmouth resident relying on family to help him to get to and from work.

His sister Frankie took to Facebook, appealing for help to find her brother’s bike and saw her post shared nearly 80 times.

The bike was found by police last Tuesday in Chineway Road.

Lawrence said: “I’m very relieved. It’s through all the wonderful work of my sister putting it on Facebook and people sharing it. It think it got to hot for the people who stole it so they dumped it in Chineway.

“It’s your property, its no-one else’s right to take it. But the bike is back now, it shows the power of the community.”

The bike is undergoing some repair works as thieves broke the ignition lock, petrol cap lock. A side panel and the bike’s back box were also missing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 101 quoting crime reference 073134/17.