THE challenge is on for bikers to see who is king of the hill in a white-knuckle race this Easter.

A record 183 riders will hurtle at break-neck speed up a steep hill for the Red Marley Freak Hill Climb at Walsgrove Farm in Great Witley on Easter Monday.

Bikers from all over the country will compete for the coveted silver helmet, inscribed with the names of past winners.

A trial will be held on Easter Sunday followed by the hill climb itself on Monday. The crowds can get in from 9am to watch the action and the racing itself starts at noon.

At times the hill is almost vertical, rising from a 1 in 10 to a 1 in 5 to 1 in 1.5 gradient.

The money raised from admission will be split three ways between the farmer who owns the land, the Red Marley Hill Club and a local charity.

Andrew Goodman, the farmer who owns the land where the race takes place, said: "You get a few people coming off the bike or it conks out half-way up. It's fun and fast and when one race finishes it starts again. It's pretty much non-stop action."

Racing starts at noon on Easter Monday but the crowds can get in from 9am to watch the practice runs.

The challenge is organised by the Red Marley Hill Climb Club. It was first held in the 1920s, died out and was then revived for the millennium as a one-off.

It proved so popular that it has been running ever since.

The race involves riders of all ages but is particularly popular with the over 55s - of the 180 competitors, 52 are over the age of 55. The challenge involves four classes of motorbike and is based on a knock-out system - the top riders from each race go though to the next round.

The bikes are pre-1970s classics ranging from 200cc to 600cc with some bikes dating back to the 1930s.

The winners of each class go through to an Allcomers Class Final - when riders of all different ages and bike types compete against each other for the grand prize.

Admission is £5 for adults and under 14s get in free.

pictures and a report from Red Marley in Tuesday's Worcester News