NO longer does Santa have a sleigh in Colchester... he has scooters and motorbikes.

Big-hearted bikers and scooter-riders took to the streets to collect toys and gifts, which they delivered to Colchester General Hospital where they will be given to patients young and old.

The annual event started three years ago when Colchester’s ModnCasuals Scooter Club realised similar clubs in other parts of Britain made festive deliveries to hospital but not in Colchester.

The giving has snowballed, attracting other clubs including the DVLC Scooter Club, A12 Scooter Club, Sudbury Scooter Club,Usual Suspects and the Fossils biker club from Clacton.

Riders came in from as far away Sudbury, Chelmsford, Harwich, Dovercourt and Clacton. They gathered at Colchester Kawasaki on the Whitehall Industrial Estate before heading off into Colchester town centre to collect more gifts, before riding to Colchester General Hospital to deliver them.

Already kind sponsors had donated hundreds of presents but shoppers donated more gifts and cash.

Organiser Gary Youngs said some 160 children and elderly will receive presents in the coming weeks.

He said: “Our club is pleased to do this and every year, the event gets bigger. The turnout was fantastic. I want to thank the riders and sponsors who took part.”