Two cyclists have been reunited with their stolen bicycles thanks to a police bike-marking scheme.

Weston Mercury: PCSO Aisha Mitchell and Callum Clemons. Picture: Avon and Somerset ConstabularyPCSO Aisha Mitchell and Callum Clemons. Picture: Avon and Somerset Constabulary (Image: Archant)

Officers returned the two bikes to their original owners as a result of each bike's having been marked and registered online.

Bikes are entered into the BikeRegister database and discreetly security marked with a tamperproof sticker.

Police first started the scheme last year and are now the most proactive police force in the country using the BikeRegister scheme, with more than 4,000 bikes marked in the past year.

MORE: Bike marking scheme to reduce thefts.

Callum Clemons, of Worle, had his Carrera Subway mountain bike stolen while he was at work.

He immediately reported the theft, and, within 24 hours, officers had found and returned his bike.

He said: "I was really relieved to get my bike back. I honestly didn't think it would ever be found.

"I rely on my bike a lot to get to work, and I am so glad I got my bike registered, as it played a pivotal part in the police getting my bike back to me so quickly."

PCSO Aisha Mitchell added: "It was such a great feeling to have been able to personally return Callum's bike to him just 24 hours after it had been reported as stolen, particularly as I was the person who helped register his bike just a few months ago.

"Bike marking not only acts as an effective deterrent to thieves, it really does enable us to quickly and easily identify and return seized bikes to their original owners."

Diogo Sá reported his Cross FXT mountain bike had been stolen from Weston town centre on January 25.

Two days later, officers attended a call at an address in Weston and found two bikes stored in a communal area.

PCSO Victoria Bailey said: "It was great to be able to return Diogo's bicycle to him.

"While we are continuing to work hard to tackle bicycle thefts, there are a number of things bicycle owners can do to help prevent themselves becoming a victim of bicycle theft, including getting their bikes marked and registered on the BikeRegister database.

"Diogo's case is a brilliant example of the effectiveness of this scheme in allowing us to quickly identify and return seized bicycles to their original owners.

"I encourage all bike owners to come along to their next nearest bike-marking event and get their bikes registered for free."