Police donate bikes to help Bedford Hospital's doctors and nurses

All the donated bikes have been recovered by police, and their owners could not be traced.

They have been sent to a bike shop Flamme Rouge Cycles in Broham Road, to ensure they are safe before being handed over, and which has been offering free bike services to all key workers during lockdown,

PC Rich Dawson, who helped to organise the donation, along with Property Sergeant Vicky Stoughton, said: “The initiative came about when I was made aware of bikes being stolen from key workers at the hospital.

"Following on from this, we realised there were around 25 we could donate to the wonderful doctors and nurses across the county who have been working so hard throughout lockdown to save lives.”

Debbie Inskip at Bedford Hospital Charity and Friends said: “We are very grateful for the donation of the bikes which will be invaluable to our doctors, nurses and staff who are currently without transport.

"This will save them having to use public transport which puts them at greater risk of catching the virus.

"Our thanks go out to PC Dawson and Sgt Stoughton for organising the donation and Flamme Rouge Cycles for checking the bikes are road worthy.”

The first bike has been handed over to A&E nurse Elaine Gillard, who had her bike stolen on a night shift.

The others will be donated once they have all been checked over and any repairs carried out.

Elaine was presented with her new bike by PC Dawson, Sgt Stoughton, Debbie Inskip and Jamie Quiggan of Flamme Rouge Cycles.