SOUTHAMPTON traders have put their hands in their pockets to help a teenager whose bike was stolen from outside one of their shops.

John Gray, 14, had spent a month of his school holidays working to pay for the bike.

But only two days after he proudly took ownership of the £250 bike it was stolen when he left it for a moment outside a shop in Bitterne Park Triangle.

"I had put the bike outside the pharmacy and had popped in to wave at the owner Peter Bailey, said John, of Bassett.

Royston Smith, of the traders' association said: "When we heard what had happened we thought it was sad."

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