Piano-bike sees some pedalling action (From Oxford Mail)

Piano-bike sees some pedalling action

7:46pm Thursday 10th December 2009 in

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SHOPPERS could have been forgiven for thinking they were hallucinating when they saw this strange contraption winding its way along Oxford High Street.

But the fully roadworthy and insured, pedal piano is soon to be a regular fixture in the city.

The machine, which has been dubbed Rimski’s Piano by creator and musician Oliver Cumming, is already a familiar sight at festivals.

Now Mr Cumming, 35, from Cropredy, near Banbury, has started ‘pedalling’ his unique busking business around the city centre.

He said: “I have been working with a bike sound system for years.

“Then I joined the circus and I started work on the piano.

“At first I used to set fire to it as part of my act and it has kind of evolved from there really.”

Mr Cumming said despite being able to travel at no more than five miles an hour, he had never been stopped by police.

He said: “They usually just stand there laughing at me. People do seem to like it, they have to run after me to put the money in the hat though.”