CYCLING cops have won an award for their style of community policing.

The Woolwich sector team of Greenwich police were given five mountain bikes from the Government-funded Neighbourhood Renewal Project in November last year.

The team has now won the Cycling in the Community award one of seven new 999 London cycling awards from Transport for London which pay tribute to Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance cyclists.

Sector Inspector Jim Moore said: "There's an image of police whizzing past in their cars.

"But the public likes police on their mountain bikes because they are a lot more approachable.

"The bikes also give us high visibility on the streets and the ability to cover a lot more ground than officers on foot."