FIVE youngsters are devastated after the theft of their prized off-road motorcycle.

The set of cousins have been left in the lurch after what appears to be the professional theft of their bike a specialist Yamaha 50cc machine worth £1,000 from the garage of their grandparents' home in Sevenhampton.

The thieves even stole a child's motorcycle helmet and had the cheek to fill the bike up from a can of petrol.

Now the Collings children Amber, 11, Chyna, nine, Joshua, eight, and their cousins Darcy Hall, 11, and Cory Hall, seven are left without their cherished hobby.

Their dad, Highworth, company director Tim Collings, 39, said: "The theft appears to be as bold as brass.

"To say that the children are gutted would be an understatement.

"The bike was their pride and joy and it was very difficult to find and they even took the helmet and petrol.

"It looks very likely it was stolen to order.

"There was another bike next to it and that wasn't touched."

The machine, which was stolen on May 25, was only ever used by the children to ride around their grandparents' garden.

It cannot be ridden by adults and could easily have been put into the boot of a car.

Sergeant Mark Smith, of Highworth police, confirmed that Round Robin Farm, near Sevenhampton, also had a break-in in which power tools were stolen.

"It is possible the two could be connected," he said.

"It happened over the same period but, as yet, there is nothing more to connect the two."

Anyone who has any information on either offence is urged to contact Highworth police on Swindon 762251.