Richard Hammond leads Shropshire air ambulance charity bike ride

Carl Fogarty (left) and Richard Hammond (right) lead the charity ride for Midlands Air Ambulance

Celebrity motorcyclists have led a charity ride raising money for the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond and World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty will lead the 23 mile (37km) ride from Shrewsbury to RAF Cosford.

Organisers estimated there were more than 3,500 bikers in the convoy.

Mr Hammond said: "I know only too well how important and vital the lifesaving work of the Midlands Air Ambulance is in critical situations."

The 23 mile (37km) charity ride started in Shrewsbury and finished at RAF Cosford

Last year the charity bought an EC135 helicopter at a cost of £4.5m

The ride ended at the Bike4Life festival, an annual event raising money for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, held at its at RAF Cosford base, near Wolverhampton.

The charity, which receives no government support, covers Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

It uses additional bases at Tatenhill, near Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, and at Strensham Services, near Tewkesbury, Worcestershire.