CRIMEBUSTERS are putting the brake on bike thefts in the north Cotswolds with the installation of a new cycle rack in Moreton.

The rack next to the public toilets in the town centre follows a spate of bike thefts in the area.

Between April and December last year 64 bikes were stolen across Cotswold district.

The new rack has been installed thanks to the efforts of the Crime and Disorder Partnership, a crime-fighting team made up of Cotswold District Council, Gloucestershire County Council, the police, the fire service and Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust.

Moreton was chosen for the new rack after CDRP discussions with the town council. The group is already looking at other areas around the district for a second bike rack later this spring.

Les Haines, principal community safety officer at Cotswold District Council, said: "The prevention of theft is one of the CDRP's main objectives and having something like this cycle rack in place will help to secure people's possessions more effectively."

District and chairman of the town council parks and amenities committee, Cllr Ben Jeffrey, said that as well as the security aspect, the new rack would stop cyclists parking their bikes at the kerbside.

"Bicycles can be a nuisance on the pavements as they often fall over and block the pavement," he said.