Show your bike some loving, say Avon and Somerset Police

Avon and Somerset Police have extended the deadline for a competition that will see one lucky cyclist ride away with £150 worth of bicycle accessories to Sunday 14 February – Valentine’s Day, to the more romantically inclined among you.

Local cyclists can enter the competition through having their bikes security marked, which the force says not only increases the chances of your pride and joy being returned should it be stolen, but also deters thieves from taking it in the first place.

In recent weeks, police have held a series of bike-marking events throughout Avon and Somerset and the deadline has been extended to allow anyone lucky enough to have found a bike-shaped parcel gift-wrapped under the Christmas tree a chance to enter.

Details of events being held between now and February 14 can be found by telephoning your local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0845 456 7000, or you can have your pride and joy marked at your local police station.

Competition terms and conditions are available on the force’s website, and police advise that as well as having their bikes marked, cyclists can take other steps to reduce the chances of theft, including using two different types of lock such as a D-lock and chain, and making sure the bike is locked even when left at home or in the garage.

The bike-marking initiative is one of a series of measures promoted by Avon and Somerset Police in recent months to combat a range of crime and anti-social behaviour under its Operation Relentless.