A MAN who suffers from a heart problem had his bike, which he describes as a “lifeline,” stolen as he moved into Newport.

Adam Needs, 25, was moving into Nelson Drive overnight between April 29 and 30 when his Santa Cruz Blur mountain bike, which was attached to a friend’s car roof, was stolen.

Mr Needs, who suffers from a partial mitral valve prolapse (a partial failure of one of the heart valves), relies on the bike to allow him to keep fit and out of hospital.

He was moving to Newport from Highbridge, Somerset, with his wife Pippa and 15- month-old daughter Amelia in order to be closer to his work as a community support officer in Bristol.

A couple of friends, who were helping him with the move, arrived at the house at 2am with the bike attached to a cradle mount on the car roof. But after going inside with his friends, Mr Needs said he looked out and saw two or three people in a black estate car getting away after taking the bike from the mount.

Mr Needs was diagnosed with his heart condition in May 2005 during a year’s service in the Army as a military policeman.

Although he has to have an annual MRI scan, using the bike to keep fit while not putting a heavy impact on his heart prevents him from needing further treatment.

He said: “It really is my lifeline.

“Iamabsolutely gutted about it, especially as we had just moved here.” The bike, which is unique and built from the frame up, has a black frame, white saddle and handle bars and hand-painted brakes in red with gold and blue accents.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Gwent police on 101 or Crime-stoppers on 0800 555111.