High-speed heist

Photo: Ken Bennett

More than £20,000 specialist bikes stolen from Diggle Motors.

A HEARTBROKEN family is coming to terms with the loss of five valuable racing motorcycles.

The bikes, including hand-built racers, were stolen in a raid at Diggle Motors of Warth Mill, when thieves forced open roller shutters. Taken were bikes, garage equipment, racing wheels and mountain bikes owned by 38-year-old Dale Howard and his sons Cole (13) and Pryce (12), from Delph.

The family regularly enters British mini-bike championship races across the country. Cole and Pryce race in the youth 125cc class while their father competes in the veterans’ 160cc class.

Dale said: “We are all completely devastated by the thefts. Nothing like this has ever happened before.

“Some of the bikes are from France and they are specialist, hand-built machines. And other items we have lost in the raid are really valuable.”

Dale said: “Two bikes were seen being ridden through the villages at high speed towards Rochdale after the theft. We’ve had lots of calls from villagers reporting sightings.”

Anyone with information should contact Greater Manchester Police on the non-emergency number of 101.