A MOTORCYCLE shop owner and one of his customers say they are gutted after nine bikes worth up to £32,000 were stolen in an early morning raid on Thursday August 1.

Thieves took less than ten minutes to steal nine off-road motorbikes from the MX Zone motorcycle sales, servicing and repair shop on the InterCity Trading Estate in Melksham.

Owner Matthew Greenland said around half a dozen men broke through the double front doors of his premises and took the bikes to a waiting van.

"They were all wearing tracksuit bottoms and hoodies and were in and out in less than ten minutes.

"I'm absolutely gutted," said Mr Greenland, 38, who lives in the Forest Road area of Melksham.

"This is the first time that it has happened to me. I'm pretty upset and so are my customers."

One of the customers who has lost his prized possession is Caleb Payne, 22, from Cherry Orchard in Marlborough.

His blue Yamaha YZF250 worth around £2,000, complete with the number 312 and his name on the side, was one of the bikes stolen in the raid, which took place at 4am on Thursday morning.

The pool lifeguard attendant at the Littlecote House Hotel in Hungerford was given the bike by his mum and dad, Tracy Dean and Darren Payne, when he was only 16.

"It was the last gift I ever received from my father, who died in 2015," said Caleb. It was one of my prized possessions and has a lot of sentimental value."

The other eight bikes include an orange KTM50, an orange KTM SXS450 and a black KTM350, which was only one of around 150 and quite rare, Mr Greenland said.

A blue YamahaYZ125, a blue Yamaha YZS250, and a blue Yamaha YZF450 were also taken, along with a red Honda CR250 and red Honda CRF450.

All the bikes had been brought in by customers over the past two weeks for servicing and repairs, he said.