A POOLE Hospital A&E nurse has received a brand new bike to replace one stolen from a secure compound outside her home.

Rebekah Everett was devastated to discover her brand new bike had been taken last month after she left it locked up, with the seat removed, outside her flat in Orchard Plaza, Poole.

The 22-year-old had only had it for six weeks after buying it through the NHS Cycle to Work Scheme - and was faced with having to pay off the £350 cost in monthly instalments for the next two years, as well as losing her only mode of transport.

But a Good Samaritan has come to her rescue after seeing her story in the Echo. Property landlord Adam Liddle contacted his pal Richard Hilton-Foster, owner of Ride in Ashley Cross, who was able to get the bike for him at cost price. The pair presented a delighted Rebekah with her new wheels.

Rebekah, who has recently moved to Creekmoor, told the Echo: "It's so generous - I felt quite overwhelmed. It's so nice to think that there are people out there who will do that. I'm so grateful as I've just moved further away and this is my only way of getting to work. I felt quite emotional when they gave it to me."

Adam said as a keen cyclist himself he could empathise, and the fact that Rebekah is an A&E nurse made him want to help all the more.

"It was seeing this nurse struggling to get to work and having enormous respect for what she does - especially given we had cause to go into A&E a few weeks previously when my son had a hockey injury. They were amazing with him."

He added: "It just seemed wrong she was in that situation and I was very happy to be able to help."

Rebekah added: "We see people and we treat people but we don't really expect any thanks - especially in A&E when they are only there for four hours. So to have somebody say 'you do work hard and we want to do something for you' - it was so nice to get that feedback."

Richard Hilton-Foster of Ride, who gave Rebekah some very heavy duty bicycle locks, added: "Hopefully this will help keep her new bike secure."