Youth Olympian helped back on track

BP Summit owner Shayne Eaton is helping to contribute $3000 towards replacing Coral Headey's stolen windsurfing gear. Photo / George Novak

A youth Olympics competitor's windsurfing gear stolen while she was at BP Summit will be replaced by the petrol station's owner.

Tauranga teen Coral Headey, 15, had been preparing to compete in the Youth Olympic Games next week but her $3000 windsurfing kit was stolen from her mother's car when she went to fuel up on Friday.

The car was recovered but Coral's gear was not.

BP Summit owner Shayne Eaton, together with BP New Zealand, is chipping in $3000 to help replace Coral's gear.

"Its really, really helpful and it's going to go a long way," Coral said.

She and her mother, Christine Headey, had begged and borrowed replacement gear for the Youth Olympics.

"When the car and gear was first stolen, me and mum were determined to make sure it affected us as less as possible. We worked really hard that night to get some gear to make sure I could still go training."

Ms Headey said the help from Mr Eaton and BP was "just amazing".

She and Coral had never intended to seek funding from elsewhere and had put all their focus into finding the original gear.

"That's all we wanted. It hadn't even crossed my mind about something like this, people wanting to contribute and help out. When Shayne rang me, it was completely out of the blue, it was amazing. It just completely took me by surprise. He's helping us out to replace everything, which is just brilliant."

Ms Headey said it was huge pressure off her and Coral.

On the day of the theft Mr Eaton said Ms Headey had not said a word about the valuable goods with the stolen car.

It was not until the Headeys' dilemma was in the media that Mr Eaton realised what had happened.

"I felt for this girl and felt I needed to do something for them because they don't have a lot so I decided to buy a new surfer. Between BP and myself, we've given them $3000. The girl trains day in and day out, she's very focused."

He felt a sense of responsibility as the theft had happened at his site.

"At the end of the day, I want to do the right thing. I put myself into the same situation and if it was my family, I hope someone would help out."

Police are still investigating a spate of car thefts at Tauranga petrol stations. After an arrest, the Headeys' car and another were recovered by police.