A CYCLING security guard couldn't believe his ears when police officers stopped him - and accused him of riding his bicycle too slowly.

David Lambert was on his way home from work when an officer in a patrol car came alongside and signalled for him to pull over on Boroughbridge Road.

When the 58-year-old, who lives in Carr Lane, Acomb, stopped and asked what was the matter, the officer accused him of cycling too slowly.

But David, who had just finished an eight-hour shift at a Clifton newsagent, said his legs ached and he was just taking his time.

"I know it's the Tour de France and everything, but no one told me it was an offence to cycle too slowly," said David who has lived for 47 years in Melbourne and Perth.

"Just wait until I tell all my mates back in Australia. They are going to kill themselves laughing about it."

He said: "It was 11pm at night, but I had lights on my bike and there didn't seem any reason why they should pay attention to me."

A spokesman for York Police said there had been a large number of burglaries in the Acomb area recently and the officer involved may have felt Mr Lambert was acting suspiciously.

Updated: 10:56 Friday, July 18, 2003