THOUSANDS of bikers roared over the old Severn Bridge and into Monmouthshire earlier today as part of a popular annual fundraising event.

This year's Hoggin' the Bridge event saw bikers set off from Aust Services on Sunday morning and travel over the bridge and through the Monmouthshire Countryside to the David Broome Event Centre on the outskirts of Caldicot.

This year the event route was six miles longer, and ended at the David Broome Event Centre on the outskirts of Caldicot, with organisers saying they estimated around 1,000 bikers had taken part.

The annual event, now in its 19th year, is run by Caldicot Town Team, a not-for-profit community interest company run entirely by volunteers, with proceeds going towards Meningitis Now, the South Wales Air Ambulance and other charities.

For the first time this year's event also included live music, with a concert featuring popular Monmouthshire folk group Rusty Shackle putting on a show on Saturday evening.

Speaking this afternoon Voluntary director Aaron Reeks said: "It's been really, really good.

"The weather's nice and sunny, which is good to. It looks like we'll have thousands of people taking part.

"Rusty Shackle played last night had we had 900 people there. It's the first time we've done that so I'm really pleased with that."

Although previous year's events had ended at Caldicot Castle, Mr Reeks said the castle had decided "it wasn't the right event for them".

But he said he was pleased the David Broome Event Centre had been able to step in. "I think it's an ideal venue," he said.

"Hopefully we've found the venue for years to come."

The event's founder Rex Forster died in 2005, and today it is run in his memory by the Caldicot Town Team.

For more information visit hoggin-the-bridge.co.uk