THE owner of a family-run cycle store has spoken of her fear after bikes costing thousands were stolen.

Thieves forced entry into Sutton Bank Bikes, at the Sutton Bank visitor centre, before taking off with three bikes on Sunday.

Owner Sophie Carter, who owns three cycle shops in the area, has suffered numerous burglaries both at the stores and from her family home.

She said: “Yet again this an awful thing for us to go through. With the shop being in a rural location we feel very vulnerable if we are working on our own.

“It means we have to employ more staff as we can’t be there alone, and we have to leave before it gets dark.

“Security measures can cost thousands. We already have CCTV, alarms, and shutters around the building.”

The stolen bikes were a Santa Cruz Bronson in olive green, a Santa Cruz 5010 in black, and a teal-coloured Juliana Furtado C.

Anyone with information should call 101.