THE mother of a Blackwood boy who had his new bike stolen from outside of a McDonald's has spoken of her dismay and appealed for its safe return.

Donna Griffiths said he son, Iestyn, visited the Blackwood branch of the fast food chain on his new £1,000 Christmas present on Thursday.

Leaving the bicycle in view through a window, the navy-blue framed GT i-Drive XCR5 was taken from outside the restaurant as the 12-year-old momentarily looked away.

Mrs Griffiths said he was distraught.

“My son had been asking me for weeks before Christmas to get him a new bike so he got one for Christmas. He was absolutely over the moon when he got it,” she said.

“On the Thursday, he went to McDonald’s with some friends. He left the bike outside and he sat down in the restaurant in the high chairs by the window.”

“He looked away for a moment and by the time he looked back, it had gone.”

Iestyn called the police to report the bike as stolen before he called his parents.

“My son is absolutely devastated and we are gutted for him,” added Mrs Griffiths, of Clos Ceirw, Blackwood. “The bike was worth around £1,000. We just want it back.

“To have a bike worth £50 stolen is bad enough but to have such an expensive one is more upsetting.”

Mrs Griffiths said she has since discovered another expensive bike was taken in the area.

“This was not taken from outside McDonald’s but from outside a family’s home, on Saturday,” she said.

“A 13-year-old boy had been out cycling with his dad, he went inside to get a drink and when he came back out, it had gone. I understand that was also a Christmas present and of a similar value to my sons.”

The family is keen to have the bike returned to them, and are offering a £100 reward for information which leads to a conviction over the theft.

Gwent Police have been informed about the missing bicycle.

The log reference for the theft is 354 05/01/17.