THOUSANDS of motorcyclists from across Europe are expected to descend on a town in the region later this month.

The Farmyard Party is at Duncombe Park, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, on June 22 and has the full support of the local town council.

To show the bikers they are welcome, the council is to waive parking charges for them on the day - and in return the event's organisers have handed over a cheque to the authority to cover its losses.

A spokesman for the Motorcycle Action Group said: "We worked out the shortfall would be about £200, so the cheque is a way of saying thank you.

"The money is going to Helmsley's jubilee fund as a token of thanks for the warm welcome that they gave us."

Meanwhile, police have raised safety concerns about the event in the wake of a recent spate of serious accidents involving bikers.

Traffic management officer Richard Bentley said: "I want to stress the importance of safety to car drivers when around motorcyclists, but the biker has a responsibility to be safe.

"My message to all motorcyclists travelling around Ryedale on the day of the event is to keep the speed down."