Outraged people in Bradford have joined forces to condemn thieves who stole 50 community club bikes – and are pledging cash to replace the racing cycles.

An article in yesterday’s Telegraph & Argus prompted an online Twitter and Facebook campaign. Companies are offering £100 each to help raise the £10,000 needed to buy replacement bikes for Bradford Bandits BMX Racing Club.

Club chairman Ian Thewlis said the response had taken him by surprise and partly restored his faith in people. He said: “It’s gone a bit mad to be honest. I’ve also been contacted by the Lord Mayor’s Sprinkle Sunshine Appeal who’ve said to put a grant application in.”

The 50 specialist BMX racing bikes were taken from a locked container in a Bradford Council yard at Peel Park overnight on Sunday. But the group had struggled to get them insured, meaning it will have to start rebuilding its collection which had been built over several years and was funded by grants.

The group loans the bikes to children who cannot afford them at its twice-weekly sessions at the park in, Bolton Road. Under the hashtag #BMXBandits, Tweeters were yesterday encouraging others to back a campaign to get 100 companies or people offering £100 each to the volunteer-led bike group. Sound engineer Jim DeBarker said: “If we can get 100 Bradford businesses and residents to pledge £100 each, we could replace the bikes.”

Hidden Bradford, a social media group which promotes positive activities in the city, sent out the same appeal and soon Bradford One, a group working to restore the Odeon cinema, had pledged £100, followed by Eden Foster Care, vehicle tracking firm Satmo and Crossley Evans recycling company. A spokesman for Hidden Bradford said the group thought something positive could come out of a negative.

She added: “I think it’s highlighted that there are a lot of positive people in Bradford.”

Bradford One director Jim Mitcham said: “What are the thieves going to gain other than the young people can’t use them. It just seems particularly selfish.”

Eden Foster Care said on Twitter: “We are paying for a bike, kids need to be able to use resources like the Bandits!”

Salad Fayre on Folly Hall Road in Wibsey has set up a collection box and Safe2Cycle has also pledged money and suggested a ‘tucked into socks’ fundraiser.