GLAMOROUS Page 3 girl Tracey Coleman roared into Rawtenstall to open a stunner of a bike show.

The star of TV's Men and Motors programme linked with other TV personalities to take part in the record-breaking cavalcade of 1,500 two-wheelers from Haslingden to the town centre for the launch of the seventh annual Rossendale Valley Motorbike Show.

Bikers from throughout the country took over the town, with streets packed with people, traffic hold-ups and hundreds of power machines.

There was a carnival atmosphere as the show stretched from Bank Street to the Cobblers Inn, with a host of attractions, fun features, markets, fairground, competitions, scores of trade stands and bikes, bikes, bikes.

Shops were busy and cafes and pubs packed.

The biggest street bike show in Europe and East Lancashire's most popular one-day event proved a record-breaker again.

Attendances were estimated to have easily broken through last year's 30,000 record - a far cry from the 2,300 who turned up for the first show.

Special guests included Steve Berry from BBC's Top Gear, Classic Racing star John Cronshaw and Coronation Street's Tyrone Dobbs - actor Alan Halsall.

Civic guests included the mayor of Salford Bernard Pennington, a bike fan who asked to attend and who declared himself "astounded" by the Rawtenstall event.

Rossendale's mayor Alan Neal, another biker, completed his record-breaking 3,500-mile round Britain motorbike ride in time to take part in the cavalcade - and still found time to collect even more cash for the NSPCC.

The children's charity also received a £500 boost thanks to the efforts of fearless nine-year-old Frankie Cripsey, whose family run the popular Wall of Death feature.

The daredevil youngster was sponsored to be a passenger on the wall ride and with a £250 donation from show organisers, met the £500 charity cash target. "She loved it," said mum Carol.

"She's even talking about being a wall rider when she grows up." Carol added: "We travel all over the country, but there is nothing like the Rawtenstall show - it really is very special."

The Astoria was packed for "sin on skin" - as people queued to be tattooed.

Big men locked elbows as the British Arm Wrestling Federation staged its championships at the event.

Mini motoring and stunt riding shows added to the entertainment.

Live rock music filled the air all day and bike fans young and old roared in with more horse power than the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Big burly bikers - a little incongruous queuing at the Mr Softee ice cream stand - were praised for their good behaviour by show spokesman Peter Gill.

He said: "I escorted the mayors around the show all day and we never heard a swear word, an obscenity or any wise cracks from anybody and there has been no trouble whatsoever.

"The myth that bikers are troublemakers is extinct - 35,000 have turned up today and have given a clear example and lesson on how people would behave."

Mr Gill, who is Rossendale's town crier, also had something to shout about over the show's success.

"It has been outstanding - the atmosphere was electric, everyone had a superb time and traders are already queuing to come to next year's show."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.