A 13-year-old boy has been left devastated after his rare go-kart was stolen from outside his Bromsgrove home.

Vijay Ramlal races the kart in the Daniel Ricciardo Series.

It was taken from the back of a van outside his home in Bourne Avenue, Catshill some time between 5.30pm on Tuesday and 7am today (Wednesday).

His parents Mitra and Donna Ramlal say they had saved up all year to buy the £5,000 kart as a Christmas present for Vijay.

"He is absolutely gutted," said Donna, who runs her own cleaning company.

"Vijay has not long recovered from glandular fever and has recently been diganosed with juvenile arthritis. He has really been through the mill - and now this tops it all off.

"He's been back and forth to Birmingham Children's Hospital and Worcestershire Royal and this is all we need."

The kart had been moved to the family's van in preparation for a practise session on Sunday and parked opposite the their home.

Donna went out this morning to try and find if the kart had been dumped, but although she found some items - rib protector, gloves and wheels - abandoned at the top of the road, there was no sign of the kart.

She said, although expensive, the kart is not worth anything to anyone else because it can only be raced in the Daniel Ricciardo Series and is registered to the family. All the parts are laser engraved with the DRS logo.

The kart is one of only seven in the UK having been shipped over from Italy last year.

Vijay, a pupil at North Bromsgrove High School, who has been go-karting since he was seven, races all over the country and dreams of one day becoming a Formula 1 driver.

Last year he came 15th in the championship and was awarded the 'Most Improved Junior Driver' award in the Birel ART Series.

The theft has been reported to West Mercia Police. Anyone with any information is asked to call them on 101 quoting incident number 083s160119.

Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website crimestoppers-uk.org.