CYCLISTS in a North-East town were riding in style yesterday when they picked up their prizes from a Christmas draw.

Nearly 300 people entered a prize draw when they took part in a bike safety session at Facchini's Cycles in Hartlepool, organised by Cleveland police's crime prevention officer Colin Hopkins. Yesterday, PC Hopkins presented the top prize of a mountain bike to Mavis Parkin, of Hartlepool, and a security device and bike lights to 12-year-old Anthony Wooldridge.

The Safe and Secure Cycling Scheme was a joint initiative between the police and the local council and aimed to reduce the number of bikes stolen in the town and to recover and return to owners any cycles that are stolen.

A bike register has been set up listing the make, model and description of all bikes brought at Facchini's in Hartlepool's Murray Street. The log book has a space for photos of the bikes to help identify recovered cycles or to make insurance claims.

PC Hopkins said: "This is a very innovative scheme, the first of its kind in the country and hopefully would-be thieves will get the message that they'll have to think twice about stealing bikes in the Hartlepool area."