TWO Spanish footballers – in Hereford for a pre-season coaching camp at Belmont Abbey – were the Real victims of a city centre bike theft on Sunday night.

The youngsters are part of a 55-strong group from Majorca who had been using rented bicycles to get to and from training each morning.

However thieves nabbed two of the bikes, hired from Hay-on-Wye’s Drover Cycles, from the Green Dragon’s car park at some time between 8.30pm on Sunday and 9am on Monday morning.

Drover Cycles’ Anna Heywood said: “It doesn’t show Hereford in a very good light.

“It’s really disappointing as the organisers run similar camps every year in Wales and the South West and they’ve never had any problems like this.

Between training, English lessons and cultural trips around the county, the young futbolistas have been using the bikes – which are worth more than £1000 – to get around in their free time.

Ms Heywood has asked anyone who spots the stolen bikes to get in touch with the police by calling 101.

One is a black and blue Saracen Mantra Pro mountain bike with a saddle pack, pump and bottle cage attached to the frame, numbered 911.

The other bike is a grey and white Saracen Mantra, with the number 10 on the frame.