FOLLOWING on from the highly successful Blues n Zuz teenage discos run by Marlborough police, officers are about to launch the Blues on Twos.

That's what officers who will be carrying out bicycle patrols during the summer solstice celebrations in Avebury on June 21 are calling themselves.

The idea of having bicycle patrols was tested at the 2005 solstice gathering in Avebury.

PC Andy Sexton, who with PC Simon McLaren-Clark will be carrying out the patrols, said: "We tried it out last year and it was a fantastic success because we were able to hit the solstice people from a very community-based level."

Both officers are keen leisure cyclists so are looking forward to patrolling the solstice from their saddles.

This year the force is providing the pair with brand new Smith and Wesson all terrain bicycles, which are expected to arrive in Marlborough tomorrow.

They will be kitted out in black cotton trousers with black Coolmax T-shirts and police issue cycle helmets.

In common with other officers, they will have to wear their protective vests at all times as well.

For last year's cycling trial PC Sexton was joined by PC Doug Downing who has since moved on from Marlborough to join the Wiltshire police traffic section at Devizes.

PC Sexton, who occasionally commutes to his work by bike, said: "There is nothing better than cycling when you want to meet people.

"You are down on their level and you don't need to pull over and wind down a window to speak to them.

"As you ride past people some of them will always call out on yer bike' or something similar, which is all good fun."

PC Sexton said the bicycle patrols went down well with the travellers visiting Avebury for the solstice. He said: "They enabled us to cycle around the camp site to check that there were no incursions.

"It went really well and we were able to build up some good contacts with the druid and pagan communities."

As well as patrolling Avebury itself, the bicycles allow the officers to ride out to neighbouring communities including Beckhampton and Winterbourne Monkton to check if any illegal camping is taking place.

PC Sexton said: "They also allow us to go off road so we can ride along the Ridgeway to make sure there are no problems with campers."

Both officers are seeking sponsorship in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance based on the number of miles they ride on their patrols.

Bertie Maffoon's bicycle shop in Marlborough will be providing the officers with equipment to log their miles.