A CHARITY cyclist planning to ride from London to Paris has been left devastated after her bike was stolen.

Hollie Hammond, of Clacton, was gearing up to embark on a 300-mile sponsored bike ride in aid of Parkinson’s Research in August.

She recently spent £200 on repairs to her £500 black Ridgeback Cyclone in preparation for the summer event.

Hollie was distraught to find that it had been stolen from her workplace at Clacton Leisure Centre on Friday, December 21.

She said: “My bike was securely locked up in the bike racks outside but I finished work that evening to find no bike and my lock on the floor.”

It is believed the bike was stolen between 4.45pm and 10pm.

Hollie said the motivation behind her planned to cycle to Paris because of her granddad, Irwin McKenzie-Cook, 88, who has been suffering with Parkinson’s for many years.

She said: “He’s been through a lot the past few years and it has been very upsetting.”

Due to difficulties with his medication for Parkinson’s, her granddad also developed slight dementia and now has carers in four times a day.

Hollie said: “I just hope that by raising money no family will have to go through what we went through while the doctors were trying to figure out what was wrong.

“But he’s okay in himself now and has frequent visits from carers and it would be nice to just give something back.”

To decide how to raise money, Hollie discovered the London to Paris charity ride on the Parkinson’s Research website.

She said: “I thought: ‘Why not?’ I love my bike and I cycle to and from work everyday in decent weather, and I’m always taking my mum’s dog Eddie for long runs.

“At first when I told my family and friends, they said it was too far and I’d never do it as I only go to and from work, but that made me even more determined to do the cycle. It’s going to be hard work as I’m just a normal girl who rides to work, but I’m very determined.”

Hollie said she is now saving for a new bike and will find it strange getting to grips with another one.

She said: “My plan is to use the bikes in the gym, go to spinning classes and get a secondhand bike to train until I have the money to get a good bike to take with me to Paris. I need one I can rely on.”

Anyone with information about the theft should contact Essex Police on 101.