A cyclist who wrote a letter to the thief that pinched his bike in Reading has been given a new one by a group of residents.

Rachel Thomas said she was "gutted" to see the note from Alex, who described the misery of having his bike stolen.

It read: "I could only afford that bike after one year of working my tears out... I only had it for a week".

Ms Thomas was so moved she started a funding page on a website which raised £750 for a new bike.