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Thousands line promenade for beach motocross

Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse Side view of a motocross rider on top of a sand ramp where a marshall wearing a hi-viz jacket is standing. It's a cloudy day and the sea and the chalk cliffs of Weymouth Bay can be seen in the background.Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse

Thousands of people ignored threatening skies and headed to the coast to watch an annual beach motocross event.

The sandy beach in Weymouth, Dorset, was transformed into a mile-long race track for the two-day event.

Practice and demonstrations began on Saturday afternoon with racing taking place throughout Sunday.

The event, organised by Purbeck Motocross Club and Weymouth & Portland Lions Club, was free to attend but a raffle and collection is held for local charities.

Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse Five motocross riders negotiate a hairpin bend on the sandy beach race track. More riders can be seen in the distance. A long row of Victorian terraced houses lines the promenade.Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse

The course was created between the Pavilion and Jubilee Clock using excavators and earth movers.

The Pavilion car park was turned into a race village for the hundreds of competitors, while spectators packed the length of the promenade.

Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse Six motocross riders viewed from behind as they approach a mound of sand with spectators watching from the promenade lined with palm trees.Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse

The expert class was won overall by French rider Adrien Petit.

Brett Rowland won the seniors group, Jim Davies won the veterans over-40 class and Connor Williams was the overall winner in the juniors.

Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse Dozens of motocross riders line up on Weymouth Beach in front of a marshall who is holding a red flag. Behind them is the sea and Weymouth peninsula and the Pavilion theatre - a large building with a green roof.Lynne Fisher / St John's Guesthouse

The beach motocross has been held in Weymouth almost continuously since 1984 and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities.

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