Bikers in Oxfordshire are getting toys and gifts together for a special Easter delivery.

For the tenth year running, members of the Oxford and Thames Valley chapters of the Harley Owners Group will ride in convoy to the Oxford Children’s Hospital at the John Radcliffe in Headington — and organisers are expecting a record number of bikers and gifts this time around.

Chapter director Pete Davis said: “We hope it will be the biggest ever – we are being joined by colleagues from the Rolling Hills chapter in Cheltenham for the first time so that should boost the numbers.

“Despite their reputation to the contrary, bikers are a bunch of softies at heart and we hate to see kids in hospital so we try to bring a bit of cheer to them.”

Up to 250 Harley-Davidson motorcycles are expected to take part, gathering at the Harley dealership in Wootton, near Abingdon, at 11.30am on Wednesday, April 29, and arriving at the hospital at about midday.

All the toys are donated by members, with many of the bikers’ children and grandchildren buying gifts with their own pocket money.

Last year, so many gifts were donated the convoy had to be accompanied by a van crammed with toys and gifts — which they are expecting again this year.

Mr Davis said: “We very much look forward to it, it is the highlight of the motorcycling year and it is always held at pretty much the beginning of the season so it kind of kicks off the motorcycling year for us.”