A police bid to cut accidents on the roads during the British Superbike Championship has been declared an overwhelming success.

Officers from six forces awaited the 35,000 spectators who arrived at Croft Circuit, near Darlington, at the weekend.

And with just one serious accident and only eight speed tickets issued, the use of resources was worth it, said North Yorkshire's head of road policing Superintendent Martin Deacon.

"A great deal of time, resources and manpower went into this operation, but it is a sobering thought that the cost would be just a small proportion of the cost of a single fatal road accident."

Supt Deacon praised the behaviour of the majority of bikers.

He said: "They were responsible and sensible on the road, and good-humoured and law-abiding at the track and campsites.

"We had doubts about how some riders might react to such a high-profile police operation, but rider after rider has shown understanding and support for what we are doing to cut casualties among the two-wheel fraternity."

Officers from Cleveland, Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire and Humberside joined colleagues from North Yorkshire on all the main routes to and from the circuit.

The operation was launched amid fears the event would add to the motorcyclist death toll on North Yorkshire's roads. A total of 28 died bikers died in the county last year.

This was the first time the championship has been held in the North-East, and it was the biggest event ever held at Croft.

During the event, many of the roads around the circuit became jammed with traffic.

But Clare Jones, Croft spokesman, said several emails were received today from spectators impressed with the way traffic had been handled.

She said: "We were very pleased with the attendance of the crowd.

"The traffic flow coming into the circuit was fine.

"Once traffic left the circuit it became the responsibility of the police to keep moving, which I think they did very well.

"I think overall it was handled very well."