A PENSIONER’S £700 bike has been stolen from Swindon’s new secure town centre cycle park.

Now Jennifer Stevenson is warning cyclists to avoid the recently opened bike park in Farnsby Street after her Giant Terrago was taken.

Miss Stevenson, 60, parked her bicycle in the cycle park, at the Brunel car park, at 9am last Tuesday only for it to be gone when she returned at 12.20pm.

The Brunel cycle park, which was opened in June by Swindon Council, was said to offer secure, covered bike parking for up to 100 bicycles, with 24-hour access for registered users via a swipecard and CCTV-camera surveillance.

Miss Stevenson, who holds a swipe-card, said her bike was her main form of transport.

She said: “I’m gutted because it was my pride and joy and I’m a serious cyclist.

“I go on quite a few long rides including along the Ridgeway. I was supposed to be going with a group of friends to cycle at South Cerney this week but I can’t now.

“I can drive but I always used my bike to go everywhere.

“I know the bike park is the first one in the town and it is to deter people from bringing their cars in but there are ways they can improve it.

“I would say don’t park in it if you have got an expensive bike. People can follow you in if you swipe – when I went in the second time I just followed someone in.

“I found the chain on the ground when I got back.

“The chain was about an inch thick so whoever took it had to have bolt cutters.

“I always put the chain through both wheels and the frame because it had clip-on wheels.”

Miss Stevenson said her missing bicycle cost her £700 and included disc brakes, bar ends on the handlebars, a digital speedometer, white mudguards and had front suspension.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information relating to the incident and are also looking at footage captured by the nearby CCTV camera. A spokesman for Swindon Council said: “We are working with the police to examine CCTV footage and will be helping them with their investigations.

“It’s about a balance between security and use-ability. We advise cyclists not to let people tailgate them into the bike park. We will be reviewing the security of the bike park in light of what’s happened.”

He was unable to say how much the bike park cost to install.

Anyone with any information should call 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where details can be left anonymously.