A CHARD woman was surprised to find a saddle-less bicycle propped in an alleyway behind her town centre shop today (Friday, June 29).

Gwen Chick, of Fore Street lingerie shop Chic, saw the bike when she arrived for work.

She contacted the police, who said they could not help her, and South Somerset District Council, which said it would charge £15 to remove the bike.

Gwen is now resigned to stumping up the cash.

She said: "What am I going to do with a bicycle without a saddle? I can't ride it and it won't fit in my car.

"Some people might just dump it somewhere else but I'm not that sort of person.

"It takes me some time to make £15 but I suspect I'll end up paying.

"I just cannot understand why somebody would dump a bike like that."