Santa motorbike riders take to roads for charity

Hundreds of riders set off from Lee Mill

Hundreds of festively dressed motorbike riders have taken to the roads in Devon and Cornwall to raise money for Children's Hospice South West.

Each year, people line the streets and donate to the charity ride.

Riders set off from Taunton and Lee Mill earlier, heading to children's hospice branches in North Devon and St Austell.

Kevin Moorey helped organise the ride to the Little Harbour Children's Hospice in St Austell.

Mr Moorey, from Plymouth, has been taking part in the Santa rides for charity since 2013.

They were heading from Lee Mill, near Ivybridge, to St Austell

He said: "It's fantastic, it provides hospice care for the whole family of any child with serious illness, and the whole family can go and stay at the hospice and have respite, and they care for them throughout their journey.

"They also provide home care, particularly since the pandemic."

Mr Moorey added: "It's a lovely feeling, and it can bring tears to your eyes to be honest. I feel it's the most uplifting thing, or heart-warming thing, over the Christmas period.

"The feeling of riding with all those bikers who turn out whatever the weather, and, as you ride, the bridges, the towns, the roads are lined with people, all waving and donating. It's fantastic."

Joanna Bevan also joined the Santa bike ride this year.

She said: "It's really good, it's the first time I've done it; my husband has done it quite a few times.

"But yeah, it's really good, it's raising money for a charity and a good cause and sending a lot of happiness about."

People line the streets along the route each year to cheer on the riders and donate

Santa bike rider Tristian Abbs said the fundraising event was "a good day out", despite the cold weather.

He said: " I absolutely love it... everyone's smiling and really happy - it's just a good day out, it's just cold!"

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