A 'TRISHAW' bicycle designed to get vulnerable people get out and about by transporting them across town has been wheeled into Bridport.

The Bridport trishaw bike is now in town thanks to Dorset Council's Community and Culture Project Fund, Bridport Round Table and support from funeral directors A.J. Wakely and Sons alongside local donations.

Cycling Without Age Bridport, the group behind the campaign, raised £9,000 to bring the trishaw to Bridport.

Cycling Without Age was set up in 2012 to allow elderly people and care home residents to go out on 'trishaw' cycle rides. It has since seen initiatives started in more than 50 countries, including 18 in the UK.

The local Cycling Without Age branch was established by Des Lochrie, and has provided two bikes for the people of Weymouth and one on Portland, before turning its attention to Bridport.

The bikes are battery operated and used to help with travel for elderly or disabled people. They also have a hood installed which will protect and keep riders socially distant from the cyclist, who are called 'pilots'.

Cycling Without Age Bridport hosted an event in Bucky Doo Square in June to raise funds for the trishaw and to inform the town's residents on their plans and give them the opportunity to go for a ride.

Mayor of Bridport Ian Bark and his wife Anne were the first passengers to take a journey on the trishaws brought over from Weymouth - with a trip from West Bay to Bucky Doo.

Volunteer pilots will be doing training runs in the coming weeks in order to find safe routes and get to know the bike before the official launch on Mayor's Day on Wednesday, September 22.

Cycling Without Age is continuing to fundraise to bring a second trishaw to Bridport, visit its JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bridportcwa