A TALENTED gymnast about to compete in a national trial had his moped stolen containing expensive gym outfits.

The moped was found undamaged the day after it was stolen but the gym outfits were nowhere to be seen.

Josh Robinson, 16, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is in the British Gymnastics Junior Men's Four team and is competing in a trial at the weekend in Shropshire for the European Championships to be held at Holland later in the year.

He got a Piaggio moped worth £250 for his 16th birthday from his parents to enable him to drive straight to his gym after college.

Josh has attended Deerness Valley Gym Club in Ushaw Moor since he was ten where he practices five nights a week.

Last Friday he stayed overnight at a friend's house in Esh Winning and left the moped outside. It was stolen in the middle of the night.

He kept four gym leotards each costing £100, trousers, shorts and a bank book in a compartment under its seat.

Josh said: "I'm really gutted to have lost my kit, each leotard was bought from specialist shops for my gym competitions.

"I just don't get what anybody else would want with my gym kit but I am pleased to get my moped back."

Vicki Kirkham, a gymnastics coach at Deerness Valley Gym Club said: "It is such a shame that this happened so close to a competition, it's very unusual that someone would want to take a gym kit and not a moped.

"We are trying to get some funds together to get Josh new leotards in time for the weekend."

If anyone has information regarding the theft, call Durham Constabulary on 0845-6060365.