A north-east sporting legend has been left distraught after a prized world championship gold medal and shirt vanished from the offices of his sponsor.
Tandem cyclist Neil Fachie loaned the prized gong and distinctive top to Aberdeen-based First Oil Expro.
But after the firm went into administration they disappeared – and he is now pleading for help to track them down.
The 32-year-old has had a glittering career and been crowned world champion 10 times.
He also won gold at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
The missing medal and “rainbow” shirt were won at the 2014 world championships at Aguascalientes in Mexico.
Mr Fachie and his long-time tandem partner Pete Mitchell stunned the cycling world as they powered to the kilo title in a record-breaking time.
The treasured medal was kept at First Oil’s offices in Aberdeen’s Queen’s Terrace and Mr Fachie believes someone must know where it is.
He said last night: “I would be very happy to have it back. It is something I would like to keep for the future.
“It certainly has a lot of meaning to me and the record itself won’t stand forever. I would love to know where it is.”
Aberdeen-born Mr Fachie – who was recently shortlisted for a place in the new Granite City “heroes” museum – lost out on about £24,000 in support when First Oil went into administration.
National Lottery funding means it has not directly affected his career, but it has prevented him buying some equipment and eaten into his savings for life after cycling.
The sportsman, whose sight is severely restricted by the genetic condition retinitis pigmentosa, is battling to recover some of the sponsorship from administrator KPMG, but has so far drawn a blank and has not found another backer.
Pictures from the Mexico podium ceremony show Mr Fachie wearing the top and medal.
The frame they were in has a plaque with an inscription reading: “Neil Fachie, Sprint World Champion, New World Record, Aguascalientes, Mexico 2014”.
Mr Fachie said: “It’s not particularly subtle. It would be quite hard to hide it.
“Maybe someone picked it up on their way out of the door.
“I was happy to lend it to them and would have been happy enough for them to keep it there.”
Mr Fachie was made an MBE after the 2012 Games in London, where he was crowned Paralympic champion – a feat matched at the Rio Games by his wife Lora.
The couple live in the north-west of England, but many of Mr Fachie’s medals adorn the walls of his parents’ home at Aberdeen’s Bridge of Don.
A spokesman for KPMG said: “In our role as administrators, we had extensive dialogue with Mr Fachie’s agents regarding the whereabouts of his personal property and we made every effort to assist them.
“The property was not in situ in the company’s offices at the time of our appointment and despite having undertaken a thorough investigation to try and locate it we have been unable to do so.
“We had to advise them of this outcome and appreciate that this is disappointing given the personal nature of the property concerned.
“However, we have exhausted the avenues open to us in trying to establish its location.”
First Oil Expro was owned by North Sea entrepreneur Ian Suttie when it went into administration.
