MP for Gosport, Caroline Dinenage, joined with 600 others in a huge motorcycle rally in support of armed forces charity Help for Heroes.
The rally was the idea of Kev Chuck, a 58-year-old welder, from Alma Street, Gosport. He hit upon the idea of indulging in his favourite pastime to raise lots of cash for the national charity while he was off work suffering from a severe kidney problem.
Mr Chuck said: ‘When I was of work I saw there was so much on about the war in Afghanistan and what our forces are going through and it would make me angry to see them coming home injured.
‘So my partner Bea said to me “stop moaning and do something about it.” That’s exactly what I did.’
Fifty bikers met up at Bayside Cafe, Stokes Bay, early yesterday morning and were joined by Caroline Dinenage on a trike, all the way to Alton.
Along the way they picked up hundreds of riders and had a police escort from Alton to Basingstoke.
Caroline said: ‘I had great fun joining in the ride with hundreds of others, and was especially pleased to be helping such an important charity. Help for Heroes supports some of the bravest people in our society – I’m glad we could all do our bit to support them.’