A St Albans carer says he is "absolutely overjoyed" after recovering his prized bike from a suspected thief that stole it from the train station.

Sarmad Bukhari had been left "heartbroken" on August 28, when the bike was swiped from St Albans station on August 28.

Not only was the bike a passion project for Sarmad, it was also his livelihood - serving as his only means of transport to work, where he cares for elderly people with dementia.

The bike is now back in safe handsThe bike is now back in safe hands (Image: Sarmad Bukhari) But after an emotional appeal to this newspaper and social media, Sarmad recovered his bike.

He explains: "I found the bike listed online, pretended to be a buyer, and arranged a meetup.

"The police warned me it could be dangerous, but I knew I had to act.

"The seller wanted to meet at his house, but I convinced him to come to a public place instead."

Upon his arrival, he called police who arrested a man on suspicion of possession of stolen goods.

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Having successfully retrieved the vehicle, he said: "I am absolutely overjoyed to have my bike back. It's been an emotional rollercoaster, but the support from the St Albans community has been incredible.

"This bike isn't just a mode of transport for me, it's something I put my heart and soul into restoring.

"It's essential to my work caring for dementia patients, so having it back means I can continue to be there for those who depend on me."

On the significance of the bike, he said: "I bought this bike when it was on the verge of being thrown away, and I decided to give it a second chance.

"I recycled it completely, putting in hours of work to change the tires, brake pads, and handlebars myself.

"I’ve always believed in recycling and giving things a new life, and this bike became a project I was deeply invested in.

Hertfordshire Constabulary has confirmed the case is now being overseen by the British Transport and Metropolitan Police, who were unable to provide further information at time of writing.