AN Orford cyclist got on his bike at the weekend, joining other penny farthing enthusiasts for a special race around Widnes.

Martin Cook, of Newhaven Road, has been pedalling his high wheeler for the past 12 years, and he joined more than 20 other cyclists at Victoria Park to take part in a two-hour race around the half-mile course.

But dressed in his Victorian regalia, the 44-year-old was there merely to entertain the crowds rather than trying to win the race.

He said: "It is quite a lot more difficult than riding a normal bike and it is easier to fall off, but it is something I have always wanted to try.

"It was a fun day and some riders came from all over - one even came all the way from Switzerland."