Amputee athlete issues appeal after blade stolen

An amputee whose dream is to compete for Ireland in the Paralympics next year has been left distraught after his running blade was stolen.

Shane McLaughlin, 42, from Clones, Co Monaghan, says he has been walking the roads around the town in case the culprits may have thrown the carbon-fibre prosthetic over a hedge.

The custom-made blade — one of only three in Ireland — was stolen from his car over the weekend outside his home at Clonkeencole.