On their bikes for fresh deliveries

Shoppers who struggle to lug bags of market fruit and veg home are being given a helping hand by cycle couriers.

Elderly and disabled shoppers who have difficulty getting around the city centre were among the first to sign up for the service, launched yesterday.

Fruit and veg is delivered by bike straight from Leicester's market to residents' homes, anywhere within the city.

The scheme is thought to be one of the first of its kind anywhere in the country.

Joan Hughes, 58, from Humberstone Road, Leicester, bought her fruit and veg and left it with the couriers to deliver to her home an hour later.

She said: "I think it's brilliant. For somebody like me, when I have to travel on a scooter, going home uphill with heavy shopping is slow and uses a lot of power.

"If they're taking it home for me, it means I can stay out longer.

"I have a friend who has got arthritis and she can't shop at the market because she can't take her shopping home. I think it's very good for senior citizens and disabled people."

Dorothy Hall, a senior citizen from Abbey Lane, said she was thinking about using the service.

She said: "I think it's a good idea because lugging shopping around is not very easy. Even with my shopper I find it a bit awkward."

Samantha Johnson, 17, from Knighton, is one of the cycle couriers who will be delivering goods to people's homes.

She said: "I did some practice deliveries. It's not too difficult, surprisingly. The weight of the bike carries it along and it's easy to get up the hills.

"I saw the job and thought I would go for it. You get some exercise out of it and it helps the community."

The courier service is a two-year, £35,000 pilot scheme funded by Leicester City Council and run with Bikes 4 All, a cycling enterprise which helps 16 to 19-year-olds get into employment.

Anna Singleton, project development officer for Bikes 4 All, said: "We've had lots of people sign up, people are just starting to hear about it from their friends and asking about it.

"We imagine we'll keep getting more custom as word spreads.

"There is a limit. If we start to get lots of deliveries, we'll have to tell people we can't do any more on a particular day.

"It is being done as a pilot scheme and, hopefully, if it's a success, we'll be able to do more."

People registered with ShopMobility will be eligible to use the scheme. Those who are not registered simply need to join ShopMobility, which is free, before they sign up for the courier service.

There are initially places for 500 people.

The stall on Leicester Market, near the Market Place Approach entrance, will be open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10am to 2pm.

Deliveries will then be taking place between noon and 3pm.