A FIVE-year-old was left heartbroken after his scooter was stolen and destroyed.

Kylan Partridge and his mum Lauren, from Halstead, were at a friend's barbecue on Wednesday.

When Kylan went to get his scooter from their friend's front garden in Juniper Close, he realised it had gone.

Mum Lauren, of West Road, said: "We were about to leave at 8pm and the scooter wasn't in the front garden.

"We went to look over the park and we found it by the skate ramps with the handle missing.

"A group of boys said they had felt guilty because they had seen it in the bin."

The family went back to recover the missing handle from the bin, but the £50 stunt scooter cannot be repaired.

His mum said: "He bought it with his birthday money, it's not fixable and he's really upset about it.

"He had bought himself a proper helmet as well."

A couple of weeks before the same thing had happened to her friend's son in Juniper Close.

His scooter had been taken from the front garden and was found broken into three pieces.

Kylan, who attends Holy Trinity School, used to take his scooter with him and enjoyed riding it around the park during the holidays.

Police have been contacted and anyone with information should call 101.