Thousands gather for annual scooter event

Jesters Scooter Club has been organising ScooterFest for 18 years

A popular scooter event has brought in the crowds for its 18th outing in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

ScooterFest, which takes place each year in Leek town centre, is described by organisers as one of the biggest one-day events on the scootering calendar.

Steph Knott, chair of Jesters Scooter Club which organises the event, said this year’s spectacle had been “absolutely fantastic”.

Thousands of scooters were estimated to have attended, he said, with visitors coming from far and wide.

Leek town centre is filled with quirky scooters for the one-day event

Mr Knott said it attracted people from as far afield as Holland and France, as well as enthusiasts across the UK.

The event is free to attend – with the proviso that organisers need to sell enough raffle tickets and make enough donations to fund it for the following year.

“For us, it’s a scooterists’ event, for scooterists – it’s a bonus that everyone else mucks in.

“All the town come out and supports us, and we couldn’t ask for more,” he said.

“There are a lot of people who come back year after year, because as far as they’re concerned it’s the best event on the calendar."

The event attracts thousands of people each year

Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, responsible for leisure and tourism at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, said the event played a big part in the town.

“It’s gone very, very well,” he said.

“The good weather brings the scooters out and it’s just been really successful. Full praise to Jesters Scooter Club for putting it on yet again.”

He said Leek had a proud tradition of hosting events, citing Leek Blues and Americana Festival and Leek Arts Festival as well as regular concerts at Brough Park.

People come from far and wide to attend the annual scooter event