Bristol cycling events bring thousands to the city

Organisers say almost 4,000 took part in, or watched, the Bristol Grand Prix event

Thousands of cyclists and spectators have taken to the streets of Bristol this weekend during two major events.

Organisers said 280 cyclists and 3,500 visitors attended Saturday's Bristol Grand Prix event, which returned to the city following a 30-year absence.

Sunday's Sky Ride Bristol covered a 4.7 mile (7.5km) route. Organisers said 7,500 people took part in the event.

The national Sky Ride event replaced Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride, which had been going for more than 20 years.

Bristol Grand Prix director Nicola Waterworth said the event aimed to "inspire" people to cycle and it had been a "great spectacle".

The Sky Ride Bristol event saw hundreds of cyclists take part

"Part of the Bristol Grand Prix was funded through crowdfunding, so lots of people pledged their support," she added.

"The great thing about a race of this kind is it's great to watch it from lots of different angles. It's great to walk around, see different corners and see what people are doing."

Bristol's mayor George Ferguson, who attended the Grand Prix, which was part of Big Green Week 2015, tweeted that the event had had a "great atmosphere".

Brian Johnston, recreation manager for British Cycling, the organisation behind the Sky Ride, said the event had been a great opportunity to see the city "from a completely different perspective".

"Sky Ride is aimed at everybody, not just cyclists but maybe people who had not cycled for many, many years," he added.

Bristol became England's first cycling city in 2008 and was awarded £22m in 2008 to encourage residents to ride bicycles.

In 2011 it was announced that the project, which aimed at doubling the number of regular cyclists in the city, had failed to meet its target.