A regional daily is aiming to raise £2,000 for a grandfather who was attacked and robbed of his bicycle.

The Yorkshire Post has launched the fundraising drive after covering the assault on Nigel Bane.

Mr Bane, 70, was undertaking his daily lockdown exercise when he was pushed off his electric bike, leaving him with hospitalised with four cracked ribs and a number of cuts and bruises.

The story prompted Post crime correspondent Lucy Leeson, who covered the story, to launch a crowdfunding page to help Mr Bane, who is from Maltby, near Rotherham, to buy a replacement bike.

Lucy, pictured, told HTFP: “As crime reporter I cover many police appeals but this one really touched me.

“Poor Mr Bane was simply out for his daily exercise when he was attacked and pushed off his bike with such force his helmet cracked.

“Personally if this happened to my own dad or grandad I would be mortified and I just felt compelled to help in any way I could.

“The world is a tough place at the moment anyway and I just felt by doing something like this it would unite people and show Mr Bane it’s not all doom and gloom.

“Our readers have always been very generous and I really hope I can use this platform the help.”

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