A British pensioner sought help from police after two thieves stole his beloved tricycle in Thailand.

Wayne Lewis Frank Lincoln, 81, reported the theft after discovering his treasured 'Skylab' had vanished from the usual spot outside his home in Udon Thani province.

CCTV footage shows two men arriving at the scene on a motorcycle with no license plate at 6:25 am local time on August 30.

One of them climbed aboard Wayne's tricycle to steer, using his feet to propel the vehicle forward as the other pushed. They then rolled the Skylab towards a bypass road, completing the alleged theft in two minutes.

Police Captain Theeraphan Kaewphonyor said Wayne filed a report on September 2.

He said: 'The British man is retired, doesn't work, and lives alone with a dog. He can't speak Thai at all, so we're using an interpreter from the Tourist Police. We're currently searching for the culprit using CCTV footage from nearby buildings.'

Wayne, a former restaurant owner from Liverpool who had been enjoying his retirement in Thailand for 10 years, lamented the loss, saying the 27,000-Baht (620 GBP) vehicle was in excellent working condition despite being second-hand.

He said: 'I parked the vehicle inside the fence next to my house and it was still there two to three days ago. However, that morning, it was already gone.

'I am deeply saddened because I loved that vehicle very much. I used to drive it around Udon Thani to enjoy the breeze and the scenery during my free time. I hope the police can find my beloved tricycle and arrest the culprits.'

When asked how he would confront the suspects, he said: ‘It's difficult, it's very difficult. The Ten Commandments say thou must not steal, so they shouldn't have stolen.

‘The years ago, I'd have broken their necks. I look like just a silly old man, but as a former European kickboxing champion, I can fight like hell. If I'd seen him stealing it, I'd laid him out on the floor.'

Police said they were reviewing CCTV footage to track down the culprits.

(1 GBP = 43.32 THB)