ROARING engines and gleaming chrome were on display at the Hoghton Tower Motorcycle Sprint at the weekend.

The 23rd annual meeting gave hundreds of spectators the chance to see some of the fastest classic bikes as they sped down the one-eighth of a mile long driveway at Hoghton Tower.

The historic venue -- famous as the place where King James I knighted a loin of beef in 1617 giving it the name Sirloin -- is still in the Hoghton family and home to Sir Bernard and Lady de Hoghton.

And on Sunday they gave up their drive to class bike racers for the annual crowd-pulling event which takes place on the weekend after Easter every year.

But last year, due to the foot and mouth crisis, the race was postponed until September.

Everything was back to normal this time round and 1,500 spectators crowded round the driveway to catch a glimpse as the riders went past.

A spokesman for Hoghton Tower said: "It was just a wonderful day. We had a few stalls as well, but we would like to see more next year!

"It's something different for people to see. The drive is closed off and the riders race against the clock."

The fastest time of the day was set by Richard Warlow, on his Kawasaki ZZR 1100, who made it down the hill in 7.46 seconds.