A MUSEUM is preparing its own pieces of cycling heritage for the Tour de Yorkshire, including a fold-up bike that was used by Allied troops during the second world war.

Eden Camp museum on the outskirts of Malton is on the race route for stage one on Friday.

The bike was invented by William Henry Taylor of BSA Cycles, Birmingham, in the early 1940s.

The bike was used extensively by British Forces, and was favoured by airborne forces because of its light, compact and folding design.

The museum, originally a prisoner-of-war camp, has also been gathering up other bits of wartime cycling history.

Though incarcerated at the camp, prisoners were given access to bicycles to allow them to cycle to farms in the area where they worked on the land.

The museum has records of prisoners using the bicycles at weekends - unofficially - to cycle to York in order to meet up with other prisoners who were held in other camps located around the city.

One letter of reference found by the museum is from the camp commandant for a German prisoner-of-war - and cycle mechanic - named Helmut Mildner.

Mr Mildner still keeps in contact with the museum from his home in Germany.

Nick Hill, museum manager, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire undoubtedly proves a great boost to tourism, which is our business. The event is broadcast in 178 countries and is watched by 11.4 million global TV viewers, so we are delighted that the Tour will be passing through Malton this year.”