Prescott Bike Festival

Iconic British manufacturer Norton will be the featured marque at this year’s Prescott Bike Festival, which takes place at the famous Gloucestershire Hillclimb on April 9. The Norton Owners Club is set to stage a huge display, including parade runs, with two rare Nortons expected, the 1956 Manx 350cc Reverse Head, built by respected tuner Ray Petty, plus a 1959 Dominator 650DD Special. The festival is renowned for the diversity of machinery it attracts and this year should be no different. Allen Millyard is set to return with eight of his amazing creations. Matt Mckeown will be back with is World’s Fastest Shoppingtrolley and his latest project – the World’s Fastest Jet-powered Hearse ‘Dead Quick’. Kevin Scott will also be along with the record-breaking Monowheel, which earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records with a 61mph run at Elvington in Yorkshire. The Paddock Specials display will feature 100 motorcycles celebrating the best in engineering excellence, which will include, a Joey Dunlop TT bike, an award-winning shed-build Kawasaki Z1000 and a rare 1973 Triumph trackmaster flat-track racer. And as this is no static show, you will also be able to hear the motorcycles fire up and run the hill. Riders can book in advance for the chance to ride the historic track or sign up for a thrilling passenger experience in a racing sidecar outfit or Morgan three-wheeler. Confirming its status as a great family event, the festival also includes plenty of off-track attractions. There will more than 100 exhibitors in the Dealer and Trade Zones plus live bands, entertainment, including a George Formby tribute act, and great food. Motorcycle parking, side stand puck and Helmet Park are all free. All proceeds from what is set to be another unforgettable day go to the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes and regional blood bike group Severn Freewheelers, one of 27 blood bike groups around the UK that provide a free out-of-hours courier service for medical essentials. The life-saving service is run by volunteers and operates between NHS facilities, with Severn Freewheelers alone dealing with around 400 calls per month on emergency response BMW R1200RTS. If you book in advance you can save £2 on the price at the gate, with adult admission costing just £13, while under-16s go free if they’re accompanied by a paying adult. For tickets and more information on the event, go to www.prescottbikefestival.co.uk