THE Red Arrows have twice flown over York recently - now one of their pilots has paid a return visit by road to buy one of the world's fastest bikes from a city bicycle shop.

Flt Lt Steve Morris, who is 'Red 5' in the RAF's aerobatic team, travelled up a couple of times from his home near the Red Arrows' base in Lincolnshire to look at the bikes in Cycle Heaven, of Bishopthorpe Road.

Shop director Piers Maffett said he had sought it out because it sold 'nice' Cannondale bike and because the shop carried out a 'hugely impressive' Retül bike fitting for customers, using an advanced motion capture system as used by the likes of Team Sky.

"He left with a lovely, absurdly light and fast Cannondale Hi Modulus carbon fibre Synapse at a little under £5,000," he said. "It only weighs just under seven kilos.

"He was a nice guy and very fit. He went off for a demo ride and was incredibly fast.

"He said how he always liked flying over York because it was so pretty."

The Arrows flew over York on the first day of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, minutes before they passed Harewood House for the start of the race.

They also returned unexpectedly last week, when it its thought they were on their way to an air show at Sunderland.

Mr Morris said the sale to the pilot was just the latest in a good summer of business at Cycle Heaven in the afterglow of the Tour de France, which saw cyclists streak straight past the shop as they headed for the city centre.

He thought some people had gone out and bought bikes in the wake of the tour.