AN online campaign has been started to try and reunite a freerunner in the Isle of Man with his camera.
Will Sutton's camera was stolen from the Guttery Gable lane, next to TK Maxx, in Douglas at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
It had been left unattended by Will's friend Mike Bell for just four minutes while Will was practicing for the Festival of Youth event.
The camera, which is worth around £1,500, is made up of a Canon 60d body and a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lens which has a rectangular filter holder on the front. It also contained a 16GB SD memory card.
Mike has set up a Facebook campaign to try and reunite Will, 19, with his camera and aims to use the three degrees of separation rule – the idea that you are on average no more than three steps away, by introduction, from most of the people in the Island – in the hope that someone will come forward with information.
So far more than 1,900 people have signed up to the appeal which Mike said was "amazing". He explained: "We just wanted to do it to create awareness about the camera and maybe get it out to the person who picked it up or someone who might know that person.
"So many people have got involved on Facebook and people have even started to offer donations to Will for a new camera. It's very heartening to see people getting behind someone like Will and shows how strong a community the Island has."
Will is well known in the Isle of Man for his freerunning – a form of urban acrobatics which sees him use the local landscapes and infrastructure to perform routines.
His camera contained footage recorded for a new freerunning video which has been filmed at many locations around the Island as well as footage recorded from the Festival of Youth rehearsals.
Mike continued: "The camera is how Will expresses himself to the rest of the world. His last video has had over 130,000 hits on YouTube and the new one he has just started filming has the chance of getting more.
"He isn't just a very talented free runner he also makes and edits amazing films. Everything is self taught and he is extremely passionate about it. It's not easy for him to make a living out of this but it's starting to happen and his camera is the tool he uses to get himself out there.
"Wherever he is he always has his camera with him filming everything. I think he will help put the Island on the map and into a lot of people's minds who haven't heard of it before, especially as his new film has him doing freerunning in so many beautiful places over here.
"To get his camera back means he can carry on creating and following his passion."
Mike and Will reported the theft to the police immediately and Mike said they have also explored a number of other avenues including visiting local shops, putting the message out on forums and liaising with eBay in case the camera is put up for sale.
A £200 reward has also been put up for information that leads to the camera's return and there is an anonymous drop box in the Jabberwocky café in Douglas where the camera can be left.
Anyone with information or who would like to help in the search should contact Mike on 07624 377150. To see Will’s freerunning video click here.
