Thief steals dad's bicycle from Wigan Infirmary while he visits premature baby daughter

Paul Roe, 29, used the new bike as his main form of transport and is now left wondering how he will see little Betsy.

He had been cycling from his home in Abram to Wigan Infirmary daily to see the tot, who was born at 26 weeks on May 6 weighing just 2lb 2oz.

Paul locked the bike to railings on the hospital site, but was heartbroken to discover it was not there when he went to collect it at around 5pm on Tuesday.

He said: “I’m really annoyed. My girl is in the hospital and I can’t go to see her. It upsets me.”

Paul said he was “angry” and described the thieves as “heartless” for taking his bike.

With Paul currently furloughed from his job as a tyre technician, his partner Emma Yearsley’s father had been driving him to the hospital to see Betsy.

But Paul was concerned about putting him at risk of catching coronavirus and Emma is currently unable to drive after having a Caesarean section.

He also wanted to follow Government advice not to use public transport during the pandemic, so he started cycling to the hospital last week.

Paul said: “I was going everywhere on this bike. I was going to the hospital and travelling around on it to lose weight and get fit. I was on it every day. It was like a car for me.”

He had also been using his bike to ride with Emma’s seven-year-old daughter Libby, who has just taken the stabilisers off her own bicycle.

Paul cannot replace his bike and is desperately hoping it is found and returned to him, so he can continue visiting baby Betsy, who is doing well in hospital and now weighs 3lb.

He paid £920 for the white and blue Boardman bike, which has a blue and black seat and new light blue hand grips.

He said: “I hope someone finds my bike and gives it back. I have been checking Facebook in case someone is selling it.”

Paul also went to the hospital yesterday to see if the thief had been caught on CCTV footage.

The incident has been reported to the police and anyone with information is asked to call them on 101.

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