BIKERS turned out in force to the annual Hoghton Tower sprint over the weekend.

The race, now in its 22nd year, saw more than 140 competitors take turns to race every sort of motorbike -- including one from 1928 -- along the Tower's steep driveway.

Despite being originally planned for April, cancelled at the last minute due to the foot and mouth outbreak, the race was a huge success.

And rain failed to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of spectators, who came from far and wide. Motorbike fans from Suffolk, Milton Keynes and Bristol turned up to watch the exciting race.

Sir Bernard Hoghton, owner of the tower, said: "We have had to fight against a series of very damaging weather forecasts and the foot and mouth outbreak, but the day itself turned out to be wonderful.

"The ground was good and it only rained for the last two competitors in the end. There were around 700 people watching and usually there were around 2,000. So the weather must have frightened people off a little bit.

"But the day was marvellous. The race record was actually broken this year, I believe that the race was completed in 7.1 seconds, which is very, very fast."