A POPULAR north Suffolk-based cycling club is celebrating its diamond jubilee with a new-look racing strip.

Godric Cycling Club, of Bungay, wanted to mark its 60th anniversary and members launched a competition for high school pupils to design a new strip which had to incorporate the club’s dolours, badge and sponsor Beck’s Bikes of Beccles.

“It was always going to be a difficult design to come up with as we had to make sure that our club badge and sponsor were highlighted in the new strip.

“However, I must say that everyone at the club are so pleased with our winning design. It fits the bill perfectly,” said club chairman Geoff Mayne.

The winning strip was designed by 14-year-old Amy Cannell, of Bungay High School.

“I enjoyed working on the design and was very pleased to learn that my design had been choosen.

“To actually see the finished shirts is really special,” she said.

Amy was invited to Beck’s Bikes to see the new cycle shirts and was also presented with vouchers from club sponsor Damian Beck.

“I am very happy to be sponsoring the cycle club and it is rewarding to see young people getting interested in cycling and taking up the sport,” he said.

Mr Mayne said the cycling club would like to thank all the students who entered the competition.

“We were simply amazed by the high standards of the designs. It was an extremely difficult task choosing a winner,” he said.

Godric already has a healthy membership but the club is hoping to attract more members and is holding a recruitment drive to attract younger cyclists.

“Cycling has been very popular in 2012 thanks to Sir Bradley Wiggins successes in the Tour de France and the Olympics.

“The Great Britain cycling team also did extremely well in track events and we hope this will encourage more people to take up cycling,” said Mr Mayne.