Cycling enthusiasts are in for a treat when four rare bikes go under the hammer at an auction today.

Over the past month, auctioneer Craig Cook has been shocked as each week another bike has made its way through his doors, from a 1930s policeman’s bike to a rare 1980s tandem.

Also up for auction is a Gundle grocer’s bike, and perhaps likely to conjure up the most interest is a British army bike, believed to be from the World War Two period.

Craig, who held his first auction in the town last November with a private collection of more than 150 Disney figures, said: “I think it is going to be a limited but enthusiastic crowd.

“We don’t normally take bikes but we wouldn’t turn bikes like these away.

“They are so difficult to date because bikes have been made the same pretty much the whole time – you can only really go by what people tell you when they bring them in.”

Craig said he expects the military bike to reach the highest amount when it goes under the hammer and estimates it could make about £500.

“The military bike is the most interesting one,” he said.

“I’ve never had one like it before but I know they can make in excess of £500, but that comes down to whether or not it is a World War Two bike.

“The owners said it was used by the bugle player who would ride it around the military camp every morning to to wake people up.

“It is in good condition, there’s a rack on the front where he would have put the bugle, but it could be used to put whatever you like in it.

“I think it would be of interest to re-enactors, people who restore military vehicles. It would be a nice little thing to have alongside their tanks.”

Craig is expecting the police Raleigh bike and the grocer’s bike to reach about £50 each, while the Claud Butler gold tandem could reach £150.

“The police bike is massive – it is from a time when all policemen had to be really tall,” said Craig.

“I tried to ride it myself but when the pedals were at the floor my feet wouldn’t reach. We know it is a police bike because it is the same model that was issued to the police force.

“The owner believes it is mid-30s, but it is difficult to establish.

“The grocer’s bike is pretty rare – Gundle didn’t make them for long. They made a whole range of fascinating bikes for delivery purposes.”

The auction starts at 11am at the auction house in Central Trading Estate, Signal Way. For more information call 01793 619447.