Leeds nurse 'broken' after her bicycle is stolen from Leeds city centre

Mum-of-three Sara Evans, from Seacroft, said whoever had stolen the bike from Leeds city centre had "broken" her.

Sara, who sometimes used to ride the bike to work, said it was a form of release and using it had been a great help over the past year.

Tearful Sara, 42, told the YEP: "I was so gutted.

"It was my release. I love exercise anyway and that's been my real focus the last year, my little bike. I just think I'm lost without it - I know it's only a bike."

The nurse of seven years currently works in an outpatient clinic in Thorpe Park.

She added: "Nothing fazes me - at the beginning of the Covid I was like, 'this is nothing, this is just going to be one of those things', and then I got really scared midway through.

"So the bike was my little bit of release - exploring Roundhay Park and Temple Newsam - just to go out and listen to my music, just to forget about everything."

The bike was stolen from Maude Street in Leeds city centre on Monday, between 8.45am - 1.30pm.

Sara had let her son, who is training to be a solicitor, use the bike for the day.

She had only just replaced the bike lock - which was also taken - and due to being in the process of moving house, was not insured.

The silver lining is that Sara has been bombarded with offers of help since posting pictures of her bike online in a bid to make it "too hot to handle".

She added: "Everyone's been lovely - there have been so many people who have offered to replace my bike, even donating or buying me a new one and I was just like 'I can't accept that'.

"I could have a little bike stuck in someone's shed that needs a new home, but I can't possibly accept anything else, but they've been so lovely.

"There are a lot more nice people than mean people, so that's reassured me, but I still want my bike back."

Sharing a photo of the bicycle online, Sara wrote: "Thanks to the scum who stole this NHS nurses bike from town today. You've broken me.

"Finally after staying strong for the past year of hell you've made me lose my faith in humanity.

"This was my release and now I don't even have that.

"Please don't buy this bike and please help have it returned and restore my faith again."

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