AN 87-year-old woman who was left devastated after her beloved bike of 36 years was stolen from outside her house is back on two wheels thanks to the kindness of strangers.

Pamela Mitchell, who is battling leukaemia, had her vintage Rayleigh bike stolen from outside her flats in Chapel Walks, Sale, in the early hours of Saturday October 8.

The Messenger appealed for help finding the bike and Pamela’s plight touched the hearts of people across Trafford. A number of people contacted the Messenger and police stations in Trafford to offer their own bikes to Pamela or to buy a new one for her.

Then, on Monday morning, officers from Altrincham Police Station turned up at Pamela’s house with a brand new bike.

After hearing about Pamela’s ordeal, a kind stranger purchased the bike and dropped it off at the station for her. He wished to remain anonymous.

Pamela, a volunteer at The Christie, said: “I am overwhelmed by people’s generosity. All I was hoping for was to get my bike back but aren’t people kind? A kind gentleman also came to me his wife’s bike. There are such lovely people out there, thank you.”

Unbeknownst to Pamela, she had actually witnessed the theft of her bike, which had been locked up outside her home with her grandson’s.

At around 1.30am, she peered through the window after being alerted by a sensor light and saw two men cycling around the estate. They fled when she knocked on the window but it was only the next morning that Pamela realised she had seen the thief riding off on her bike.

Pamela described the bike as a ‘lifeline’ and primarily used it to get to her daughter’s house in Ashton-upon-Mersey and go to doctor’s appointments.

She has fought ovarian cancer, bowel cancer, had half a lung removed and is currently battling leukaemia.

“I’m so grateful to be back on the road – now motorists might not be safe,” she laughed.