Cold-hearted criminals have robbed five Tilbury children of their favourite Christmas presents.

Thieves broke into the shed of the Wright family, in Keats Gardens, early on Tuesday morning and made off with five brand new bikes belonging to 13-year-old Jane, Samantha, 10, Bill, 10, Kimberley, nine, and family friend Lewis Diggines, 12.

The quintet received their bikes as Christmas presents and had been riding around the streets on them non-stop ever since.

Mum, Denise Wright, said: "Their old bikes had become too small for them and they had all asked for new ones for Christmas, we spent the whole of Christmas Eve putting them together.

"And every day since Christmas they have been out on their bikes, going for long bike rides, they love them."

Frustratingly for the family it was the first time they had stored the bikes inside the shed after previously keeping them inside the house.

Police believe the criminals snatched the bikes sometime between 12 and 2am, before escaping down the alley that runs behind Keats Gardens.

Due to the festive season, the family were unable to get the bikes coded by the police, which will make tracking them down even more difficult.

Denise said: "We went down to get them coded by the police after Christmas but no one was around.

"Christmas has all gone a bit pear-shaped now. I can't afford to replace the bikes and they weren't covered by insurance. The kids are devastated."

An Essex Police spokesperson said: "This is a callous act, depriving children of their new Christmas presents. We are appealing to anyone who might have seen or heard anything to contact us immediately."

Anyone with information should contact PC Edmund Cull of Grays Police on 01375 391212

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