A HEROIC 12-year-old is thrilled to have his bike returned after it was stolen following an act of kindness.

Blayde Bayliss, 12, was playing near a pond along Riverside Walk in Colchester with another family.

Whilst he was with them, a two- year-old boy who was part of the group slipped into the shallow pond trying to retrieve his lost ball.

Blayde, who lives in Colchester and is a St Helena School student, helped save the toddler who was struggling in the water, and went back to check on him the next day.

But he was gutted when his bike was stolen whilst he was visiting the pond.

Following an appeal in the Gazette, the bike was found in Lion Walk shopping centre and has now been returned to Blayde although it is in need of serious repair.

Rachel Parker, Blayde’s mum, said she had received a number of offers of help from businesses, including Serenity Brides.

She said: “The lights have been smashed and they broke the chain. Security guards saw people with it upside down trying to get the chain off.

“Blayde is really pleased he got the bike back but he isn’t very pleased about the damage.”

Colchester Round Table 367 read about Blayde’s heroic act and offered to pay towards getting his bike repaired.

Rachel, of Smythies Avenue, said: “I assume and hope it is repairable, it’s amazing how many people have helped out.

“It’s good to know there’s actually some decent people out there.”

Cyril Thomas, who is the vice- chairman at Colchester Round Table 367, said he wanted Blayde to feel appreciated for what he had done.

He said: “He did such a good deed and we didn’t want him to be deterred by the situation.

“All the other tablers got right behind it as we wanted to make sure he knew these things don’t go unnoticed, and people appreciate his effort.”

Blayde said he had been talking to a couple of friends and had forgotten about his bike.

After leaving it on the grass behind him it was taken. The bike had been given to Blayde as a birthday present last year.