Jeff Mountjoy’s Big Ride Out saw a huge turnout of bikers in tribute to the Paulton resident and much-loved school caretaker last Saturday.

This year’s event was the first without Jeff, so was particularly poignant, and his friends were determined to do him proud. Around 175 bikers took part and hundreds of locals turned out to wave them off, with the convoy arriving back at Paulton Rovers as a thunderstorm began.

The event, which saw stalls during the day and an event in the evening has raised over £3,200, with money still coming in this week, which will be split between Dorothy House Hospice Care and the Freewheelers Blood Bikes.Des Loader, friend of Jeff Mountjoy and one of the organisers, said: "We had about 175 bikes this year, more than double the amount last year, so it was a great success. Paulton Rovers have been brilliant to us, providing us with the venue and financial support. It was great seeing all the bikers, local people and local businesses supporting us."Rich Francis and the team are pleased to say we are going to do it all again next year on May 6th, 2017."Chris Kearns, from the local FreewheelersEVS, who will benefit from half of the money raised, added: "Special thanks must go to the organiser, Richard Francis and his dedicated team for firstly, inviting FreewheelersEVS to come along and join the fun. Secondly, for naming Freewheelers as one of the two beneficiaries from the day's events."What Richard and his team have achieved with this year's JMBRO has been fantastic and its success is a credit to them all. "Also thank you to the Die Hards MCC for marshalling the ride, keeping the 170 strong group together, moving forward and in the right direction. "All the funds raised at JMBRO for Freewheelers will go directly towards helping us in our support of the NHS, the Great Western and Wiltshire Air Ambulance services. "As every member in the charity is a volunteer, from fundraisers to the Chairman, no one is paid for their time. Apart from fundraising and publicity equipment, over 95% of our income is spent on running and maintaining our fleet of bikes. With four duty bikes on the road, we are expecting to cover nearly 150,000 miles this year. Fuel, tyres and servicing costs add up. What Richard and JMBRO have done for Freewheelers will be essential in helping keep our bikes on the road and is greatly appreciated. "Many thanks to all who contributed towards a great day."Readers can follow progress of plans for next year's event via the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/jmbro4