A FORMER RAF fighter pilot whose tricycle was stolen from outside his home has received an outpouring of support from the community.

David Parry has lived in Farnham for more than 25 years, with many recognising him by his blue Mission tricycle.

But after a trip to Waitrose on Saturday, the tricycle was taken from outside his home.

His private carer Emma Hobbs took to social media following the incident, posting on Facebook page Farnham Rants, making a plea for the community to be on the look out for the famous trike.

Emma said: “It’s had 3,200 shares on my original post, and it got back to a friend in New Zealand – it’s gone viral!

“He is just the legend of Farnham on his trike, everyone stops and speaks to David.”

She initially launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to buy David a new tricycle – receiving up to £1,000 within an hour – but he insisted that he couldn’t accept any donations.

He said: “I’m an old disabled pensioner, but I’m not hard up.

“I am grateful for all donations but money I’ve got, it’s time I am short of.”

The GoFundMe page has since been taken down, with David instead purchasing himself a new, electric tricycle.

“There are a lot of people around who are very kind and thoughtful, and in these troubled times are prepared to donate, but I’m not prepared to accept them,” David said.

Despite purchasing a new tricycle, Martin Groves – landlord at The Hop Blossom pub – visited David on Tuesday to tell him that a group of customers had come together to buy one.

David said: “It was very kind of them, it’s a lovely pub and I think we’re very lucky.

“I said to Martin that I couldn’t possibly accept it, but once the dust has settled, I will go round to The Hop Blossom and put enough money behind the bar to buy them all a drink.

“As for the trike itself – I will either give it to the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice (PTH), or put it up for auction [for PTH].”

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of David’s tricycle, should call the police on 101 quoting 45200113290.