HUNDREDS of bikers are expected to flood the roads this Easter Sunday as the popular Durham Easter Egg Run returns for the first time since the Covid pandemic.
In what has become a highly-anticipated event for bikers and residents alike, the mass ride-out sees hundreds of bikers ride to Darlington and Durham hospitals to deliver Easter eggs to poorly children.
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The last run in 2019 before the Covid pandemic was thought to be a record-breaker, with around 900 bikers taking part.
And organiser Tony Hudspith from Hartlepool says he hopes the apetite for the event is as strong as ever given its two-year break.
He said: "There's a lot of excitement around it.
"Obviously over the years to have built it up, it was getting to be a really big event and we're just hoping that people will still have the enthusiasm for this year's as we are hoping people will have missed it."
The bikers will depart from the the Durham Tesco in Dragonville at 10am on Easter Sunday morning, April 17, to travel en-masse to Darlington Memorial Hospital.
After a break at the hospital to enable the children to see the bikes and to deliver Easter eggs to the children's wards, the convoy then returns to Durham to deliver eggs to the University Hospital.
Every year hundreds of people line the streets to wave the bikers past and Tony said alongside bringing a smile to poorly children's faces, the community element of the run is a huge part of its appeal.
He said: "We have got that full community feel about it.
"We have already had messages asking about it from people in Aycliffe Village who come out in fancy dress each year and wave Union Jack flags.
"They said they're looking forward to doing it again.
"Seeing the streets lined with people and all the people who come out of their houses to wave us past and enjoy it is just amazing."
Tony is also hopeful that this year's event will be the biggest yet.
He said: "Already we have got over 400 people on facebook saying they're going and then you always get the ones who open their curtains on the morning, see that it's a sunny day and decide to come along.
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"I would like to think we would get maybe 600 to 700 bikes but you never know if the weather isn't good - although it's still fun in the rain.
"We had about 900 bikers at the last one and we'd love to break the 1,000 mark."
Although the run is marshalled by volunteers and supported by the Widows Sons biker group, Durham Police are involved to shut roads at key junctions to enable the convoy to pass as smoothly and safely as possible.
Tony said more marshalls are needed and described the job as 'the best seat in the house' because they get to see the entirety of the convoy.
After setting off from the Dragonville Tesco at 10am prompt, the bikers will ride through Durham along Old Elvet and travel to Darlington along the A167.
They should start arriving at Darlington Memorial Hospital at around 11am.
Bikers are invited to take along an Easter egg for the children's wards or donate to drop off points at the Tescos in Newton Aycliffe and Durham and Byron Place in Seaham.
Anybody who wants to volunteer to marshall can contact Tony via the Durham Easter Egg Run 2022 facebook page.
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