A TEENAGE boy whose independence was stolen when his bike was taken by thieves has had it restored thanks to his mum, a Northwich shop and the police.

Rudheath 14-year-old Tyler Crouchman has cerebral palsy and relies on his bike to get to school and visit friends and family.

He left it locked up at the side of his house, in Laburnum Road, on Sunday, September 28, and when he woke up the following morning it was gone.

But the bike was returned after thieves tried to sell it to Cash Generator, in Witton Street, where staff had already been warned after a phone call from Tyler's mumEmma Lishman.

"He was gutted when it was stolen," she said.

"He was getting het up because it's a bike his dad got him last Christmas.

"We thought it was gone – that it was either going to be used for bits or someone was going to flog it but we didn't think they'd go to Cash Generator with it.

"I rang the on the Monday before they opened just in case – I didn't think we would actually see it again.

"We were over the moon."

Cerebral palsy is a term that covers a range of neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination.

Tyler, who attends the University of Chester Academy Northwich (UCAN), walked with a frame until he was six.

A five minute walk can still take him 15 minutes so being able to cycle makes a real difference to him.

Emma said: "It's his independence.

"He can't walk far so he uses it to get around.

"It's also a part of his physio routine to build the muscles at the top of his legs."

Neil Shelbourne, who owns Cash Generator, said: "We frequently help the police out.

"We have CCTV in the shop and go to great lengths not to buy anything that's stolen.

"If we know something is stolen, and in this case we did, we seize it and report it."

PCSO Nicola Smith, from Northwich Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "It's nice to get such a good outcome from it and be able to return the property back to its owner."

Police inquiries are ongoing after the incident.