'Biking community is very giving'

2,000 take part in the Xmas toy run

- Jon Bamber

BIG-HEARTED: Simon Redfern and wife June, main picture, and Stuart Whittaker, with daughters Katie and Olivia, inset left, and Paul Davies and Trudy Travnor.

HUNDREDS of bighearted bikers toured Stoke-on-Trent with gifts for needy children to unwrap on Christmas Day.

About 2,000 Star Bikers took part in the 47th annual Toy Run which set off from Stoke City's bet 365 Stadium at 11am yesterday.

The route took them to Trentham, Blurton, Weston Coyney, Bentilee, Baddeley Green, Milton, Sneyd Green and Northwood.

Hundreds of kindhearted Potters lined the streets to watch the cavalcade and donate gifts.

The bikers each made a small donation to take part and many donated a toy.

After collecting more presents on the route they ended up at the King's Hall in Stoke before celebrating with a party.

Ant Middleton, below, aged 64, of Penkhull, who is chairman of Star Bikers, told The Sentinel: "Bikers are very generous people. They do this twice a year every year for the toy and egg runs.

"We have lots of companies, shops, and pubs who have collection boxes. I think we have around 140 collection boxes across the city. We get plenty of toys and are filling a truck with them.