A TALENTED young motocross rider is devastated after thieves stole four bikes and equipment worth almost £20,000 just weeks before race seasons starts.

Eleven-year-old Matt Tolley, who races competitively at club and national level, is heartbroken he faces the possibility of a season watching from the sidelines after thieves broke into the family home near Kempsey on Wednesday night.

Matt's father Simon discovered on Thursday afternoon his son's 2015 KTM 65 race bike, a brand new Honda crf 110 and two KTM 85 race bikes prepared for the 2016 season together with some of Matt's race kit and helmet had been taken.

The theft means the Hanley Castle High School will miss out on racing at the LG Arena Birmingham indoor race in front of 8,000 people on Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24.

It is uncertain if the motocross racer will be able to take part in the rest of the season unless they are recovered as the bikes were for offroad use and therefore not insured.

Mr Tolley said: "We as a family are devastated at the loss, not only financially but emotionally too.

"I have spent six weeks preparing the 2016 race bikes with additional expenses in preparation for the upcoming racing season.

"To have all four bikes stolen is just unbelievable especially as they are off road bikes so they are not insured.

"The bikes and equipment have a combined value of nearly £20,000.

"We simply do not have the finances to replace them or continue with his racing unless we can recover them.

"The statistics for recovery are not great with the theft of off road bikes

"This is devastating news for Matt with the season's first championship race approaching in under four weeks time - it may have to be a season on the sidelines for him."

Matt started racing in motocross events at the age of seven following in his father's footsteps.

He competes in events organised by the British Schoolboy Motorcycle Association with affiliated clubs Cotswold Youth, Warley Wasps and Severn Valley.

The schoolboy has notched up over 30 race wins during the 2015 season alone and achieved club champion status in 2013 and 2015 during his four years racing.

Matt has also competed in the BSMA national series this year finishing a credible third in the championship as well as finishing second at the country's toughest event in the calendar racing the annual Weston Beach Race in October.

Motocross has taken Matt as far afield as Verdun, France, where he has twice competed at the prestigious annual Masterkids event.

The family is offering a reward for the recovery of the bikes and is asking anyone with information to contact Malvern police on 101 quoting crime reference number 22cc/1435j/16.