A major setback has struck a group of four British environmental campaigners cycling to South Africa. Two of their custom-built bikes have been stolen, unbelievably from outside an Italian police station.

The bikes, each worth £1,000, were left chained to railings outside a police station in Milan (ok, so maybe that’s the unbelievable bit) when someone distinctly lacking in seasonal goodwill made off with them.

The Thames Water sponsored group started their year-long undertaking in November, their destination is Johannesburg for the start of next November’s Earth Summit. The aim of the journey is to highlight water shortages in the Third World and the group are are due to visit several projects run by Water Aid and other charities on their way down to Johannesburg.

The four had cycled through France and part of Italy before disaster struck, and they will now be delayed as they sort out conventional bikes to replace the stolen custon-built ones. Once back on their pedals the group will be heading for the southern tip of Italy, a ferry to Greece and then on to North Africa.