A competition cyclist who bought himself a new bike after fleecing his elderly and much-loved coach has been locked up.

Harold ‘H’ Nelson, 86 - who has coached a string of champion riders over seven decades - was scammed out of thousands of pounds by his trusted pupil Daniel Snape.

A member of Seamons Cycling Club in Altrincham and Manchester Wheelers, Snape, 32, was a well-known rider on Manchester’s amateur scene.

But over a six-month period he stole blank cheques from his mentor.

When police raided Snape’s home they found a £2,000 Trek pedal cycle and riding gear he had bought using money he stole from Mr Nelson.

(Image: Facebook)

He squandered the rest on horse racing and football bets and has now been jailed for eight months after admitting theft charges totalling £6,650.

The bicycle has been forfeited and will be sold to compensate Mr Nelson.

Regarded as a legendary figure in the cycling world, Harold Nelson, of Wythenshawe, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to cycling.

Since the early 50s, he has coached Olympians, Tour de France riders including Paul Sherwen and John Herety, and hundreds of amateurs for free.

In May 2012, after he had been training with him for about three years, Snape asked Mr Nelson for the first of five loans, each of up to £300.

Prosecutor Simone Flynn told Manchester Crown Court that he doctored one of the cheques before helping himself to blank ones.

(Image: Facebook)

Snape, of Ardenfield Drive, Wythenshawe, was caught after Mr Nelson’s bank became suspicious.

The prosecutor said his expensive bike was evidence the former warehouseman was ‘living beyond his means’.

Snape was arrested last summer, after another cycling coach reported him following his failure to repay what he stole.

In a statement, Mr Nelson said he was annoyed by the betrayal, saying it ‘breached the trust between student and coach’.

“I’ve been coaching cyclists from my home for many years and thousands of cyclists have passed through - nothing has ever been stolen from me and no-one has ever let me down like this”, he said.

Snape’s Facebook page include pictures of him taking part in time trial competitions in Mr Nelson’s company - and includes an image of a losing betting slip.

Ben Kaufman, defending, said Snape was a ‘lonely figure’ who had gambled heavily and was ‘deeply sorry’, adding: ”He still has a deep affection for Mr Nelson - he looks back at his time with the cycling club as the happiest of his life.”