Buildbase BMW are celebrating the return of two racebikes which were found under a tarpaulin in a farmer's field not far from Donington Park after being stolen last Sunday night following the Silverstone British Superbike round.

Richard Cooper's title-winning National Superstock 1000 and a new Superbike-spec S1000RR were stolen, along with a host of parts and spares, from close to Donington Park as they sat in a van. The vehicle was found burnt out but an eagle-eyed rider spotted the bikes a couple of days later.

"A guy called Martin Quigley was riding his bike through the village where they were dumped. He spotted some kit in a field, went over and found the two bikes chucked under a tarpaulin. He called his wife after reading about it in the local paper, she called the police and they called us," said team spokesman Steve Hicken.

"They were found about three miles from where the van was burnt out. The bikes were pretty much in tact but the bodywork had been ripped off. They had tried to start the Superbike by hot-wiring it, taken the exhaust off the Superstock bike. The ally ramp and a complete tool kit are still missing.

"The Superstock bike was already stripped down after technical control at Silverstone. Fortunately, they chucked the engine in the field. We're now still searching for all the kit stolen out of the truck. We've been to every scrap dealer around as nearly all parts they have are metal."