A supermarket has launched a scheme to make loading up cars with shopping a thing of the past.

Customers at Waitrose in Western Road, Brighton, can take their groceries home in a bicycle trailer.

The idea is being trialled to encourage people to help the environment by leaving their cars at home.

Branch manager Steve Shore said cyclists using the trailers would also avoid getting stuck in the city traffic.

He said: "Waitrose is committed to saving energy and managing environmental issues.

"We wanted to introduce the scheme here as our customers are so environmentally aware.

"Our recycling facilities get so much use and we have a number of cyclists who shop at the branch who are keen to try out this scheme. They'll probably get the food home quicker than most."Five trailers are available for customers to transport their shopping home using pedal power.

They can be loaned out for the day free of charge to Waitrose and John Lewis account cardholders and partnership account cardholders.

The trailers are equipped with large canvas shopping bags to save on plastic carriers.

When a customer registers at the shop's welcome desk, a bracket is attached beneath their bicycle saddle, allowing them to clip the trailer on to their bike.

People can reserve their trailer before they start to shop and collect it before leaving the branch.

Deputy manager Will Lane said: "We have had a number of people making enquiries about the trailers and some have gone out already.

"We've ordered another three so we will have eight in total and the aim is to have customers able to take a trailer out as soon as one is returned.

"We don't want to be holding on to these trailers at the store.

We want people to be using them, getting fit and reducing our carbon footprint."

He said customers had up to three days to take the trailers back after borrowing them.

Because they are loaned to account cardholders, Waitrose can trace any not returned.

Western Road is the third Waitrose store in the country to get bicycle trailers and, if successful, the scheme will be extended.

The trailers cost £1,200, which was split between the supermarket and Brighton and Hove City Council. Last week, the store started a bag-free checkout for people re-using their carrier bags.

Have you used the bike trailers yet? Leave you comments below.