POLICE hope their most successful motorbike fun day to date will save lives on the region's roads.

A record crowd of about 12,000 people attended the annual Bikewise event at Durham Police headquarters, at Aykley Heads, in Durham City, on Sunday.

Sergeant Bob Brown, the event organiser, said: "This was the tenth Bikewise and it was definitely a bumper crowd. It was the best year we have had."

Sgt Brown urged riders to join motorcycle clubs that follow the system of riding used by the police. Details are available on the force website at www.durham.police.uk

The event raised an estimated £5,000 for local charities.

"That's about £50,000 we have raised in total since we started,'' said Sgt Brown.