CALLOUS crooks have stolen a volunteer lifeboat crewman’s bike shortly after he had taken part in a training exercise.

Clacton RNLI crewman Bradley secured his bicycle to a bike stand next to the lifeboat station in Hastings Avenue.

He participated in a successful training exercise with his fellow crew members and after helping to clean down the boat and making sure it was ready for an emergency call, he joined his crewmates in a nearby café.

While the crew relaxed, Bradley spotted someone on his bike ride past the café, and with disbelief shouted out to his fellow crew members who ran outside to see if they were able to stop the theft.

But they were unable to stop him and the thief disappeared towards the town centre.

Bradley, who relies on his bike as his main form of transport, was left upset following the incident.

He said: “I chained my bike up as usual before joining the crew for an exercise and was amazed to see someone brazen enough to steal it whilst we were in a local café.

“It really has made my life harder as I used my bike for getting to work, going to the shops and most importantly getting to the lifeboat station during shouts.

“I just cannot believe that someone has stolen my bike.”.

David Wells, lifeboat operations manager at Clacton lifeboat station, hit out at the crook.

“The crew at the station work hard and train hard to ensure they are ready to respond to any calls for help,” he said.

“It is disappointing that someone would steal the bike from just by the boathouse that belongs to one of our team and that they rely on to get to and from the station.”.

Clacton RNLI said the theft has been reported to the police, but that the suspect has yet to be found – and the bike has not yet been recovered.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Essex Police on 101 or to submit a report online at essex.police.uk.