YOUNG thieves picked on the wrong woman when they tried to snatch a bag from Eileen Hilton's bike.

The muggers were left empty-handed by the cunning safety measure she dreamed up to secure valuables in her cycle basket.

Now Mrs Hilton, 68, of Turnberry Drive, Acomb, is urging other cyclists to adopt her clever idea.

Mrs Hilton was riding along the cycle path near the Acorn Club on Thanet Road, Acomb, when two youths on bikes came up behind her.

One of them reached out and tried to grab a shopping bag containing a purse from her basket but was prevented by an elasticated strap with hooks, which was designed to hold it down.

The youths then rode off frustrated.

"I could sense somebody behind me," Mrs Hilton said, "I saw this hand come out and try to grab my bag, but it wouldn't budge because of the elastic straps."

"I was very taken aback, but concentrated on keeping myself steady so I wouldn't fall off. I didn't shout or scream because I thought they would push me off. The lads never said anything to me and just rode off when they didn't get my bag.

"I was very shocked and unnerved when I got home and needed a cup of tea. But I was pleased that I had taken this measure. I once had my bag, purse and bike stolen so since then I've secured everything down as much as I can. I want to warn anyone else who uses a cycle basket about the dangers of not strapping valuables down."

Mrs Hilton got the idea after noticing the straps in Barnitt's hardware shop where she used to work.

She reported the incident to the police when she returned home.

PC Paul Woolford of North Yorkshire Police said: "Mrs Hilton is an excellent example to other cyclists who carry valuable items in their baskets. The straps are a wonderful idea to protect property in this way and others may want to adopt it."

Mrs Hilton said: "There's so much petty crime going on today but we must not allow these morons to get away with it."

matthew.woodcock@ycp.co.uk