Tour de France fans who have painted bikes yellow to welcome the event to Yorkshire can give them a new lease of life in Africa under a recycling scheme.

Old bikes have been donated to churches, schools, and shops to be given a new look for the Grand Depart and looked likely to end up on the scrap heap.

But a York cycling business has launched a scheme to dispatch the machines to Africa.

Carol Walker, of Shannons Cycle Centre in Boroughbridge Road, explained: "We have collected lots of old bikes from our customers for various churches, schools and shops to be painted yellow.

"But it was on the understanding that they come back to us to be sent on to the charity.

"We would like to open the offer of recycling the bikes to Africa to any one who has painted an old yellow bike to celebrate the grand depart - but will just be throwing it away after the event ."

The bikes can be dropped off at the business after the event. They will be reworked and then shipped to Africa. For more information go to http://www.re-cycle.org/.