THE noise began early. The roar, hum, throb and thrum of bike engines cut through the still air of a barmy autumnal day as hundreds of bikers poured into Chepstow to take part in Hoggin' the Bridge – an event which has become easily the biggest annual biker jamboree anywhere in South Wales or the Westcountry and a huge draw for the town.

They were all there, from vintage Nortons and classic Harleys to superbikes of all shapes, sizes and ages – and that's not to cast any aspersion on the average age of the riders or the length of their beards.

Many, riding in from the Forest and beyond, arrived well before more than 2,600 bikers triumphally crossed the Old Severn Bridge and streamed into the town centre, which became the setting for a good natured leather clad and bandana party.

Chepstow councillor Jacqui Sullivan, a pink-clad affectionado, bike enthusiast and now full-on organiser of the event had some choice words to describe it: "It was absolutely awesome."

The weather was kind for the second year running, but a cloud has been hanging over Hoggin' the Bridge ever since the police announced that, due to cutbacks, they couldn't fund the sort of rolling escort and highways control they did in the past.

But riding to the rescue came volunteer marshalls (many of them bikers themselves) with support from Monmouthshire County Council's highways team.

"We've totted it up and we know more than 2,600 bikes came across paying £5 a bike for charity," says Jacqui. "We haven't got the final figure yet, but we're sure we'll have done as well if not slightly better than last year's £15,500. And everything went really smoothly – the highways teams, the cleaners, the marshalls, the town itself, all superb."

You can, therefore, bet your prized Norton, Triumph, Honda, Harley (and even Vespa) badge that bikes will be Hoggin' the Bridge in 2012.