Police have defended the force's decision to put their officers through online cycling assessments.

Thames Valley Police is also sending ‘mystery shoppers’ to visit police station reception desks to assess customer service.

Officers will take cycling exams online as part of cost-cutting measures.

In a statement issued today, the force said: "As part of the force's ongoing bid to provide a high quality of service to the public, we will shortly (be using) so-called mystery shopping techniques.

"In our efforts to save money, the programme has been developed in-house, utilising existing resources as opposed to expensive external providers, and we have invited our civilian staff, not officers, to act as mystery shoppers during the first phase of the programme.”

In an online cycling proficiency test, officers are assessed on whether they can ride a bike by taking an exam — and marking it themselves.

Questions include "do you wobble when you're riding along slowly?" and "can you turn left and right on your bike?".

A spokesman added: "Thames Valley Police, like any other organisation, has a duty to make sure that employees who are required to ride a bicycle as part of their operational role have got the basic skills necessary to do so safely.

"Rather than sending everybody on a training course, those people that have the necessary experience are able to demonstrate their skills by completing a simple online questionnaire.

"This seems to be a very pragmatic and cost-effective method, and clearly additional practical training will be given to anyone who requires it."