Bikers' ride honours armed forces

The bikers also remembered the seriously injured

Up to 2,000 bikers rode to Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum to pay tribute to the country's armed forces.

The Harley Owners' Group organised the visit to the memorial in Alrewas to commemorate service personnel who have died since World War II.

The memorial was opened by the Queen in a service earlier this year.

The bikers laid wreaths and also remembered those who suffered serious injury while on active service.

'Wonderful experience'

The stone-circle memorial bears the names of 16,000 service personnel who have died since World War II.

A spokesman for the group said many members were ex-service personnel.

A volunteer at the memorial said it had been a wonderful experience.

"It was wonderful just to see so many people and to hear the throbbing of the engines as they arrived.

"We could hear them from miles away."

Police had urged drivers to avoid the A38 between Lichfield and Burton as riders travelled to and from the memorial.