A former top cyclist and her partner are appealing for the return of five specialist bikes which were stolen from their garage in Romsey on Sunday.

The distinctive cycles were worth a total of £6,000, said Katy Rankin of Botley Road, who up until 2011, was one of the few women to compete in the British Bike Trials Riding Championship, The cycles, which belong to Katy, 25, and her partner Dr Alex Dickinson, 30, were stored in a locked garage in a block behind their apartment in Botley Road.

On Sunday at 10.30am one of the couple’s neighbours spotted a man by the garages, accompanied by a boy around 10-years-old, loading bikes into a black Transit-type van.

When challenged by the neighbour, the man replied: “I’m picking up a bike from Alex.”

“It’s worrying that the thief knew Alex’s name and also must have known we were away that weekend,” said Katy, who added that the thief had picked the lock on the garage door.

The man is described as white, about 5ft 10in tall with a “mop of dark brown hair.”

The couple are both keen cyclists and ride their bikes every weekend and often used the Knightwood BMX track in Valley Park. Katy believes the thief may have first spotted herself and Alex riding at the BMX rack and tailed them home.

She and Alex both work in the engineering department at the University of Southampton.

Katy gave up competitive cycling in 2011 after developing optic neuritis which caused blurred vision in one eye.

She described one of the bikes – a gold Onza trials bike which had been specially made for her – as “completely irreplaceable”

The stolen bikes were: l Specialized Allez Elite 52cm 2011 road bike red with silver seatpost.

- Orbea Aqua 57cm 2009 road bike, white frame, exposed carbon forks.

- Onza Limey 320 trials bike, in gold with red Monty wheels and white rim tape.

- Echo 20” trials bike with black wheels and orange rim tape.

- A one of a kind, prototype, Onza race BMX in bright green.

Three bikes were left in the garage and Katy believes that they were left by the thief after he was approached by the neighbour.

Anyone with any information should contact Romsey Police on 101.