Steven Jackson, 28, died when his trail bike hit a tree on a Minore Road property on Easter Sunday last year while he was riding with a group from his church.

Steven’s parents Garry and Dianne Jackson were devastated when they returned home to their Columbia Drive house on Saturday night to find that trail bike stolen.

Mr Jackson had spent months lovingly restoring the Yamaha YZ125 trail bike in the wake of the accident.

“We’re on a pension and were fortunate some friends had helped us source parts at a price we could afford,” Mr Jackson said.

“The bike is very special to us because it was a connection with Steven and there are so many memories associated with it.”

The couple had only been gone about an hour when the trail bike went missing. Mr Jackson said the gate had been left open and a claw hammer or similar had been used to tear the shed door off where the trail bike was being stored.

“There were five motorbikes here, and whoever took this bike went straight past two working motorbikes in the yard to get to the shed that contained the stolen one,” Mrs Jackson said.

Thankfully, the couple said, a motorcycle that Mr Jackson and Steven had been in the process of restoring when Steven died had been left behind.

The Jacksons immediately began posting flyers in the immediate area to try to find the bike, including dropping some off at nearby Apollo House.

“Not only did you steal a piece of plastic and metal from our back shed but a huge piece of our hearts on that night,” the flyer read.

“We were hoping to hand it (the trail bike) on to our grandkids when they were old enough to appreciate it... they loved their uncle.”

The incident was reported to police.

Mr Jackson said a nearby resident told them she thought she heard someone trying to start a motorbike about the time the theft took place.

“It would have been between about 6.45(pm) and 7.45pm, she said her dogs were going off their tree, barking like mad,” he said.

Another nearby resident said she saw and heard a noisy bike burning around a local park with two people on it that night.

Mrs Jackson said Steven absolutely loved motorbikes and had ridden them since he was a child.

The popular childcare worker, youth group leader and martial arts enthusiast had so many dreams that would now no longer come to fruition, she said.

“He had only been married for about 18 months before he died, he left behind a wife, Emma, who he had met through church and they both did the same child care course,” Mrs Jackson said.

“Steven had also been considering joining the Army and had planned to ride his road motorcycle to Darwin with some friends.”

Anyone with information about the theft should contact Dubbo Police on 6883 1599.