Dorset Police and Budmouth Technology College in Weymouth have come up with a great way to recycle unclaimed or abandoned bikes received by the police - let the students have them for field trips and summer camps.

The college uses bikes for a variety of trips, excursions and camps throughout the year, especially in the summer months when the weather is good, and has in the past had to go to the expense of hiring them.

They approached Dorset Police to see if they had any ideas and the Western Division's PC Angus Wilson came up with the idea of utilising the many unclaimed bikes handed in to the police every year, rather than disposing of them in other ways.

He explained: "We get many bikes handed in each year that are not coded and almost impossible to return to their rightful owners. If no one claims them after a few months we have to dispose of them in other ways as we simply don't have the room to keep them all.

"When the college contacted us it seemed an ideal answer to the problem.

"We have given 12 bikes so far with another eight in the pipeline. The college does all the repairs on them such as new tyres, brakes and wheels to make sure that they all pass health and safety tests and then they can use them as they wish. It's ideal for the type of field trips that the college does."

Student Daniel Cook said: "We have lots of extra-curricular activities and the bikes are a great way to get around. It was very thoughtful of the police to let us have the bikes and they will be very well-used I'm sure."