Young cyclists from Bristol Metropolitan College were among the first to complete a council-run cycle training scheme.

The Year 7 pupils from the Fishponds school were tested for the third and final stage of Bikeability, a free scheme offered to all schools in the city.

More than 800 children took part in the first and second parts of the scheme, which aims to double the number of young people cycling to school by June 2011.

The Bristol Metropolitan pupils were the first ones to do the level three course, which aimed to give them skills they need for cycling on busy roads in all conditions.

It involved intensive individual riding tuition and included cycling their home-to-school route with an instructor, as well as a classroom session covering route planning, hazard perception and safe riding strategy.

Dominic Barwick, 12, from Eastville said: "It has been really good fun. I already like cycling to school, but this has made me feel more confident about doing it."

Vivian Barton, 12, also from Eastville, said: "It has been good. I cycle to school most days anyway with my dad, but this has been helpful. We have learned things like how to indicate and how to get round roundabouts."

Liza Miles, one of the Bikeability instructors, told the Bristol Post: "It is very important to learn the basics like this. It is essential to know how to cycle on the roads – the whole point is to encourage the children to cycle to school."