Cameron 'sorry' for cycling offences

(REUTERS/Jon Bond/Pool)

A contrite David Cameron apologised today after he was spotted apparently breaking a series of traffic laws while cycling to Westminster.

The Tory leader was photographed by the Daily Mirror, riding the wrong way up a one-way street, going the wrong way round a "Keep left" bollard, and crossing the white line at a red traffic light. He was also seen riding across a toucan crossing for cyclists and pedestrians while the signal was red. According to the paper, the incursions all occurred within the space of a 30-minute bike ride from his home in Notting Hill, west London, to the House of Commons.

The pictures are an embarrassment for the Conservative leader, who has made much of his enthusiasm for cycling to underscore his "green" credentials. In a statement, he said: "I know it is important to obey traffic laws - but I have obviously made mistakes on this occasion and I am sorry."