Kent's cycle shop owners are enjoying a sales boom amid credit crunch gloom - as people get on their bikes to save on petrol bills.

Tony Evernden, owner of Evernden Cycles, on Maidstone Road, Paddock Wood, said profits had been boosted by sales of bikes to customers fed up with paying high prices to fill up their cars.

He said: "Our sales have been up every month this year compared to last year. We have a full-time staff of eight and we have all been really busy. We are definitely hearing that more people are riding bikes to work to save on fuel costs."

"We also have a lot of mums coming in saying they are buying a bike for the journey to the village to buy milk and bread, rather than pay for fuel for the 4x4. There is a very noticeable positive difference to our trade."

Chris Honnor, manager of Cycle King, High Street, Rochester, said: "There is an increase in sales of bikes to people who ride to work, with people talking about saving money on rising fuel costs by buying a bike.

"Bikes are doing well. We are all tripping along very nicely."

Auto and leisure chain Halfords, which has 16 stores in Kent, has announced sales figures showing "continued growth within cycling" amid rising fuel costs.

The company said it was boosted by the bike trade part of its business and remained confident of improving fortunes, despite a like-for-like sales slip of 1.1 per cent in the quarter to September.