That's a wheelie big theft! Suspected bike thief wheels away penny farthing - as desperate owner begs for its safe return

A man has issued a desperate appeal for his beloved penny farthing after it was stolen from outside a hair salon in London.

Robert Torto, 44, was getting his hair cut when his Trotts and Son's penny farthing was stolen from a bike rack in Streatham Hill at around 1pm on June 3.

CCTV footage from a nearby pharmacy captured the suspected thief wheeling the penny farthing away from the scene.

The eccentric mode of transport is 56 inches tall and has a distinctive red rear tyre.

The heartbroken civil engineer told London News Online: 'I cycled down to the same hair salon I've been going to since 2007, but must have not fastened it securely enough at the bike rack.

'I had my eyes on it the whole time I was in the salon but got up to wash my hair and the next second it was gone.'

Mr Torto added: 'I reported it straight away to the police but I phoned last night and they hadn't allocated an officer to the case yet.

'I've already spoken to so many people who saw the man with my bike.

'I got CCTV footage from a local pharmacy showing the man walking with it down the road.

'I don't want him to get in any trouble but I just want my bike back.'

Fellow keen cyclist Jeremy Vine took to social media to raise awareness about the missing penny farthing.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the presenter said: 'Important we get this back. Red rear tyre will make it difficult to fence.'

Mr Vine has previously fallen off his own penny farthing, leaving him with a black eye.

He told his TV show he had 'been in the wars' and that he didn't remember anything between the moment he fell and his arrival at Charing Cross hospital.

Mr Torto specialises in sustainable travel and has designed several key cycle routes throughout London.

His beloved penny farthing was only purchased last year and the father-of-four hopes to find it before October so he can participate in a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest number of penny farthing riders in a velodrome race.

As part of the Penny Farthing Guinness World Record Breaking Weekend Extravaganza, organised by the Penny Farthing Club, participants will also sit down for a Victorian dinner party where everyone will be expected to wear top hats.