Police officers security-stamped dozens of cycles at three commuter railway stations last week.

British Transport Police visited the stations at Oxford, Didcot and Radley to help cyclists keep property safe, postcoding 280 bikes.

Officers offered safety advice and coded bikes at three free surgeries.

Bike shops in Oxford and Didcot joined in, offering their expertise to cyclists.

Advice included locking the frame and both wheels to a cycle stand and using more than one up-to-date lock to make the machine harder to steal.

Sgt Adrian Naylor said: “We had a very positive response. We worked in partnership with local bike shops – Mountain Mania in Didcot and Warlands in Oxford – who were there to have some community input.”

He added: “Cycle theft is seasonal and we have had a peak during August which obviously we are responding to.”

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