A DROITWICH man says not enough people are taking up cycling because of the amount of bike thefts around Worcestershire.

Jim Pagdin, 66, who lives in Westbury Avenue, also says too many people are put off taking it up because they fear bad drivers will whack into them by accident.

As your Droitwich News revealed yesterday, just 5.2 per cent or people living in the Wychavon area get on the saddle once a week, a fall of two per cent since 2010.

Across Worcestershire the figure is 6.8 per cent of residents, which has also fallen from 8.4 per cent.

The low figures have led to concerns at Worcestershire County Council about how to improve participation.

Mr Pagdin, a retired security guard, says he used to cycle all his life before stopping recently due to a heart condition.

He also had his bike stolen once in Droitwich High Street, and says the amount of thefts does have an impact.

"I've cycled all my life and used to go all over the county, to Worcester, Malvern, Ledbury, and out to Hereford," he said.

"I'm surprised the figures are so low but you hear or read about so many bikes being stolen these days, even people who leave them in sheds overnight and they go.

"I do think with benefit cuts and the like people go looking for things to make quick money and that's had an impact.

"Some people don't seem to secure them properly and they get stolen.

"When I lost mine in the High Street that was four years ago and I never had it recovered.

"I think thefts and bad drivers are the two main reasons, I've been knocked off my bicycle about six times in my time, it's only ever been in Worcester though."

The data came from Sport England's 'Active People Survey', which is used by central Government to keep statistics on cycling popularity.

The weekly cycling rate across England as a whole as also fallen since 2010, but only by 0.1 per cent.