Stolen charity bike tracked down

The BMW F650 was stolen from Magor Services

Police have found the motorcycle which was stolen as an Australian couple on a charity round-the-world bike ride took a break in Wales.

The BMW was was stolen from Magor Service Station near Newport over the weekend, but officers revealed on Tuesday that the bike had been traced.

Everyone seems to have wanted to go the extra mile with this one

Inspector Dave Moses

Ralph Dixon, 42, and Fionnuala Livingston, 40, were on a 30,000km round-the-world trip to raise funds for multiple sclerosis when it was stolen.

They were just a day away from completing their journey to London, their final stop.

Inspector Dave Moses from Gwent Police said officers were delighted to have tracked down the powerful BMW F650.

"We were really over the moon," said Inspector Moses, based in Caldicot.

"Everyone seems to have wanted to go the extra mile with this one.

Ralph Dixon and Fionnuala Livingston, right

"It was down to a lot of effort by South Wales Police officers, who helped us with our inquiries and used their local knowledge very well to recover it."

As well as losing the bike, the Sydney couple also lost gifts they had been given by people all over the world, and CDs containing photographs of their journey.

Sergeant Ceri Lloyd, from Gwent Police, said at the time: "They have travelled through India, Pakistan, through parts of Asia, north Africa and they have even been to Iraq. It is ironic they have been through all those countries and come to Wales and had their bike stolen."

Mr Dixon and Ms Livingston sold their home before setting out on the trip six months ago.

After travelling 30,000km through 25 different countries - to have their bike stolen when they arrive here is astonishing

David Harrison of the MS Society

They were forced to complete the final leg of their journey from Wales to London by train.

English-born Mr Dixon - himself an MS sufferer - and Ms Livingston, had just finished travelling through Scotland and Ireland, and were riding through Wales towards north London where they were to attend a special reception hosted by the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

David Harrison, from the MS Society, said: "It sounds like the most dreadful thing to have happened. After travelling 30,000km through 25 different countries - to have their bike stolen when they arrive here is astonishing."

"The three days we did have in Wales were fantastic and we have good memories of Wales apart from that incident," said Mr Dixon.