WITH almost 15,000 bikers revved up to ride through Wootton Bassett on Sunday, the people of the town have voiced their objection to the event.

The bikers, who signed up for the ride in their thousands to support military charity Afghan Heroes, will descend on the High Street after making their way from Hullavington Airfield at 8am and is regarded as the biggest bike ride the UK has ever seen.

People living in the town have hit out at the event and said not only were townsfolk not consulted, but that the use of the town to make a political statement will set the precedent for other groups.

Resident Neil Burden said: “I wholeheartedly support the charity and what these people are doing but the fact remains that they are using Wootton Bassett for a political reason and, apart from their political orientation, they do not differ from what Islam4UK wanted to do.

“What is particularly perplexing about all this, however, is that this invasion is apparently sanctioned by the police, Wiltshire Council and Ministry of Defence.

“The town council was not consulted, nor were the residents.

“Along with pollution, disruption and noise, I am angry that the people who live in the town are the last to know anything about this. “I have questioned the town council and was told that because they did not want to publicise the event for fear of hundreds turning up to watch, they were planning to only let the people of the town know this week.

“It seems to me that this is going to encourage more people to come and use Wootton Bassett for political reasons – something we have always been against.

“There is a massive difference between a repatriation and a rally.

“Thousands of motorbikes throbbing through the town will be noisy, smelly, thrilling, almost martial - miles away from the quiet, spontaneous and reflective commemorations of young lives lost prematurely.”

Car mechanic Shaun Wilson, 27, of Queens Road, said he is concerned that there was no public meeting about this. He said: “People line the streets here during repatriations because the fallen heroes go through the town onto somewhere else – Wootton Bassett should not be singled out like this.

“I don’t see why these hairy bikers cannot just do their ride somewhere out in the countryside and just raise money in Wootton Bassett’s name – we don’t want they clogging up our quiet market town.

“I think the whole idea is horrendous and will now mean anyone wanting to do anything like this will have to have permission. I say ‘leave Wootton Bassett alone’.”

Sergeant Martin Alvis, head of Wootton Bassett’s neighbourhood policing team, said that there would be a strong police presence and that the riders will go through the High Street in batches to avoid problems.

He said: “We are working with multi-agencies to make sure this event runs smoothly – we are working with the Roads Policing Unit, Highways Agency and Wiltshire Council. There will be a high police presence both on the roads they will be travelling on and in the town. A traffic management plan is in place and we are liaising closely with the organisers.”