Recycling charity wheels in 25,000th bike

After six years of bicycle recycling, the Bike Station in Newington has welcomed its 25,000th bicycle.

The largest bike recycling project in the UK, the charity receives some 700 bikes a month, some for recycling and others to be fixed and resold.

Manager Mark Sydenham said: "The best way to get around the city is by bike. It's environmentally friendly, it's healthy and it's fast. We've seen a steady increase in the number of bikes we've received for recycling.

"It's just like taking your bike to the bottle bank."

The team open their workshop to run fix-your-own-bike sessions every month.

The Bike Station manages to sell just over half the number of bikes donated and those that are too damaged or rusty are dismantled for their usable parts. Bells, wheels, racks and light brackets are all used to repair other bikes or recycled as scrap metal.

The oldest bike the Bike Station has received dated from 1896 and is now fully restored.

Dedicated to promoting cycling, the team reckon that they have converted 86 per cent of customers into bike enthusiasts.