Hundreds of scooter enthusiasts from all over the country rode into Pewsey on Friday evening for a weekend of family fun, music and talk of the heydays of Vespas and Lambrettas.

In all, £4,000 was taken at the gate of The Vale of White Horse Scooter Rally at the Coopers Arms as 328 people turned up for the event organised by Swindon Incrowd Scooter Group.

Organisers will split £2,500 of the takings between three charities including our Give Us A Chance appeal for Devizes Opportunity Centre. Cash will also go to Marie Curie and a Pewsey charity.

It is a cause close to the heart of Jane Gibbs from Calne, whose son Oli, now 18, attended the centre when he was a young boy. She is a past president of the scooter club and was at the rally with her husband Les.

Organiser Mark Chrisp said: “The feedback we have had is that everyone thought it was an absolutely brilliant weekend. It was a real family affair with games and music.”

But not everyone enjoyed the mass scooter ride on Saturday when a cavalcade of around 60 bikes went through the Pewsey Vale to Marlborough High Street.

Mr Chrisp said: “We usually stop in Marlborough for about 20 minutes but we had trouble with a traffic warden after some of market stallholders complained about us. The ones near where we parked loved us and were taking photographs but others further down the road didn’t like it so we moved on after about ten minutes.”

Mr Chrisp is already planning next year’s event at the Coopers Arms. He said: “Last year was meant to be a one-off but now everyone wants it to be an annual rally.”