A FATHER and son flying gliders on the Malvern Hills were shocked when two thieves on bikes made off with one of their £150 planes.

Paul Dee, of Ramson Close, had taken his 12-year-old son Richard onto the Worcestershire Beacon on Saturday, May 19, when two teenagers rode away with the two-and-a-half foot "Zagi" aircraft.

Mr Dee said his son was devastated, as he had only recently taken up the new hobby.

"We've only been doing this for two months, and it's left Richard with a remote control but no plane, so he's gutted," he said. "It cost an arm and a leg to buy the two planes so I'm not too happy about it either."

Mr Dee said although Richard would be getting another plane for his birthday in September, the one stolen was a special beginners model that was virtually unbreakable.

"The one he is getting in September is made of fibreglass, and will smash into pieces if it comes down," he said. "The stolen plane was so he could practice, and we bought two so that it was something we could do together."

Mr Dee cannot understand why someone would steal a plane from a twelve-year-old boy. "I've been watching a friend fly planes for years, and I've never known anything like this," he said. "It's just unbelievable."

He has since contacted the Malvern Soaring Association (MSA), to warn members of what happened. MSA chairman Nick Neve said it was the first time he had ever heard of a glider being stolen on the hills.

Mr Dee is urging fellow gliders to look out for the missing plane, which is red, green and black and has Vicky' written on the side.