A disabled youngster who had his specially-adapted bicycle stolen has taken delivery of a new machine.

Adam Metcalfe, who was born with no arms, had his BMX bike snatched last year from a shed at his home in Arkwright Street, Tyersal.

But thanks to the fundraising efforts of pub landlords across Bradford, Adam was provided with a new mountain bike - customised by bike mechanic Ian Clarke who himself has a partially paralysed left arm.

Adam, 13, who rides his new bike by leaning against special high-rise handlebars, said he had no problems controlling the machine which is worth £350.

"It's really straightforward to ride," he said. "I told Ian what I wanted and it's really good. All my friends ride bikes so I'll use it a lot."

The bike was provided by brewers Tetley's after David Haigh, landlord of Haighy's Bar in Lumb Lane, heard about Adam's bike being stolen.

Together with members of the Bradford Inner City Licensees Association (Bicla) a charity draw was organised to pay for the bike to be adapted by Mr Clarke, of Crabtree's cycle wholesalers in Keighley, who fitted the special handlebars and a knee-operated brake.

Adam's father David Metcalfe said: "He's taken to it no problem and I'm certainly more worried about him falling off than he is.

"He was gutted when his old bike was taken, he used to ride it a lot.

"Adam's never had any trouble balancing and he can easily keep up with the other kids."

Mr Clarke, who took up cycling after damaging his arm in a motorcycle accident, assembled the machine which has all the features of a regular mountain bike.

Tickets for the Bicla prize draw are still on sale at city-centre pubs. Prizes include holiday vouchers, champagne and electrical goods and money raised will be presented to local charities after the draw on October 20.

Promoter John Pennington of the Pennington Midland Hotel said: "We started the draw off as a way of helping Adam and it's just gone on from there."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.