ALMOST £25,000 of goods has been stolen from a Hampshire motorcycle business during an overnight burglary.

James Purchase, owner of OneTwenty Motorsports in Lockerley, is facing the tough decision on whether he can or even wants to continue his business, after his shop on Tytherley Road was raided of almost £25,000 worth of stock during an overnight burglary.

Due to specialising in motorsport equipment such as boots, helmets, gloves and goggles, the stock at the shop is expensive, and some time overnight on Friday May 22 thieves "rammed through" the side door of the business and "completely ransacked the place".

James started the business from scratch six years ago, but now he feels he may not be able to continue as, like many other shops during the coronavirus crisis, he was already "struggling to survive".

He said: "The secondary door was rammed open, it couldn't have been opened by a kick or a shove, there was so much damage, and when they got in they completely ransacked the place. Almost £25,000 worth of goods was taken, boots, helmets, gloves, everything, and it was left in such a mess.

"I don't keep any motorbikes on site, just the equipment. So whoever did this knew exactly what they were after, they would have been people who knew about the sport, and used my shop, that's the soul destroying part.

"They have completely destroyed a business that was started from scratch, and that's already facing uncertain times. Now it's so much worse. These people just don't care, they'll break through any security and take whatever they want. How they can sleep at night I don't know.

"I always knew it would be a tough year with the coronavirus situation, but this has left me feeling is it worth carrying on? I love the sport and working around it, but I don't know if I can or even want to continue after this!"

While the "vast majority" of stock was taken from the shop, anything that was left was thrown all across the building, and James has now taken the remains to a secure warehouse.

Hampshire Constabulary have been contacted for a comment on the situation, but they are yet to respond.