2,000 rebel Egg Run riders take to the road; Charity mission goes ahead - unofficially (and safely).

Byline: BY SAM LISTER Daily Post Staff

MORE than 2,000 rebel bikers rode through Merseyside on a wildcat charity mission yesterday after plans to stage an official money-raising event had to be dropped for the second year running.

The Wirral Egg Run, which started 26 years ago, was shelved because organisers said costs to meet the safety regulations set by officials have spiralled out of control.

Around 5,000 motorcyclists annually descended on the borough to hand out presents to chronically-ill children and collect donations for local groups.

Organisers were forced to drop the event for the second time this weekend, saying safety marshal training, complete registration of all bikers taking part, and applications for up to 200 road closures along the 18-mile route would cost them pounds 40,000.

But bikers from across the country, many in Easter-themed fancy dress, still turned up for an unofficial version yesterday.

Gordon Wheatcroft, from the Wirral Motorcycle Runs Committee, which used to organise the event, said: "There was a great turnout. There were more than 2,000 riders, we were quite surprised.

"But it shows that the Egg Run is a safe event. If an unofficial run can pass without incident, then the police and council should really be able to accommodate an official event without all the expensive regulations.

"There is no official run. We were unable to come to an agreement with the Events Advisory Group, which includes the council and police, and through which any event in Wirral has to be arranged.

"We have been talking to them for 12 months, since the last Egg Run was cancelled. But they insist that the way we have done the event for the last 25 years is unsafe.

"They only gave us two options' the first for the complete run, which would have 110 road closures along the whole route. The cost to the organisers would be pounds 30-pounds 40,000.

"The second option they gave us was for the bikers to head off in staggered groups. But that would put people off and mean they would be arriving at the hospital for hours.

"In the past, the run has affected the entrance to the hospital for about an hour and a half, but this would mean it would be clogged for most of the day as groups of bikes keep arriving."

The Egg Run was started by the Empress Motorcycling club in 1980 with a handful of bikers, but now marks the traditional start of the motorcycling season. Riders dress in colourful costumes to deliver Easter eggs to children in hospital.

The cavalcade, from New Brighton to Clatterbridge hospital, used to raise pounds 12,000 for charities in Wirral.

Although bikers can still turn up, they can no longer collect donations from the thousands of spectators that used to line the route.

A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: "Wirral Council has been notified by the organisers of the Egg Run that the event will not be taking place this year.

"We hope to work with Egg Run organisers in the future to ensure the safe return of what is a highlight of the Wirral cultural calendar."

No-one from Merseyside Police was available for comment.

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Themed rider' Fancy dress' Er, what's up, Doc? The 26th Egg Run takes off on its annual charity mission' The 2,000-strong cavalcade runs from New Brighton to Clatterbridge Hospital' Interesting headgear