A MENTAL health worker who had her bike stolen while she was participating in a fundraising event to help get her colleague to Australia to see her dying sister is 'delighted' to have had her bike returned.

Lexi Baker was cycling on the Rodwell Trail alongside a group of her colleagues on Sunday, March 28, when her bike was stolen after she left it unattended 'for a few moments' while she took a picture.

Her friends and family posted about the theft on social media which was circulated in a number of local Facebook groups and, two days later, Lexi received a message telling her the bike had been found.

Lexi, 54, said: "I am absolutely delighted that my bike has been returned - I was so disappointed when it was stolen after I only left it for a few moments.

"I don't really use Facebook but my colleagues and friends all put it online and shared it and a kind gentleman messaged me to say that his son had found my bike dumped in a hedge down by Ferry Bridge. He took it to my colleague's house in his van and I went and picked it up. Besides a few scratches it is completely fine."

Lexi and her colleagues were doing the bike ride as part of a fundraising event to help get enough money together to pay for their colleague Tracy to fly to Australia to see her younger sister who has less than six months to live.

Kim Prime, 38 and from Weymouth, was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. Sadly, after thinking her battle with cancer was over, she went for a scan in January which found the cancer had spread to her lungs and brain and she was given a six month prognosis.

Tracy is desperate to spend some time with her sister while she still can but needs £5,000 to fund her trip to Perth. Tracy's colleagues at the Weymouth and Portland Community Mental Health Team, have been participating in challenges to help raise funds.

Lexi said: "I am so thrilled to have the bike back as it means we can get back to focusing on getting Tracy to Australia to see Kim - that is the most important thing."