Gary Lineker offers twitter followers reward for finding mother's stolen car

Match of the Day presenter says his ill mother is "heartbroken"

Gary Lineker, the former England striker and Match of the Day presenter, has offered a financial reward on twitter to anyone who can track down his mother's stolen Vauxhall Corsa (Getty)

Gary Lineker, the former England striker and Match of the Day presenter, has offered a financial reward on twitter to anyone who can track down his mother's stolen Vauxhall Corsa.

Describing the thieves as "rotters", Mr Lineker said his mother was "heartbroken" after the theft, which happened while she was on a day visit to hospital in Leicester, undergoing dialysis.

"Some rotter has stolen my mum's car after dialysis in Leicester. Silver/grey Corsa EX09TXE. I'll reward any help with return. RT [re-tweet] please," he tweeted. Within minutes thousands of people had re-tweeted the message.

Mr Lineker, 53, told his almost two million twitter followers in another message: "A lot of her personal possessions were in the car as she's moving home. Poor women is heartbroken."

The former Spurs footballer flew his mother, Margaret, 74, home from Spain earlier this year for treatment in England after her health deteriorated.

Some of his followers could not resist asking, perhaps tongue in cheek, why his mother was driving a Corsa, despite his huge wealth?

"For all those who are trying to help, thank you. And for all those doing the, why only a Corsa joke, she's well into her 70's kids. Haha."

While the search continues, Mr Lineker is urging people to contact the police if they know anything.