THE 14th annual Bulldog Bash was once again scarred by tragedy when a five-month-old baby died on site on Sunday.

Organisers, who kept fingers crossed after every previous festival was marred with at least one fatal bike crash, were stunned by the death of Leone Turra from Bournemouth.

Most revellers knew nothing until after they left on Sunday evening because the baby was with his mother in a tent in an area away from the main campsite.

Bash press officer Kenny Littlefield said the death had marred what had been an otherwise successful festival.

"It was very distressing for all of us," he said. "It seems that every year we have a death in an accident, whether it be near the site or with bikers on their way here or home, but this was really, really bad. We are all extremely sad."

Mr Littlefield praised staff who dealt with the call for help when the baby's motionless body was found in the tent.

A site doctor and paramedics struggled to revive the infant, but he was pronounced dead on arrival on Warwick Hospital. No conclusion has been reached on the cause of the baby's death.

More than 27,000 bikers - at least 10,000 more than last year - arrived at Avon Park Raceway, Long Marston for four days of fun on the drag strip, in the beer tent, enjoying live music or just roaring around the countryside.

Mr Littlefield said this year's event, which had the highest profile music line-up ever with bands like the Fun Lovin Criminals and Therapy? and giant video screens outside the tents relaying entertainment, had been a huge hit with the crowds.

"The beer tent was jammed on Friday and Saturday and because of the video screens, more people stuck around at night, everyone was up for fun," he said.

The bumper crowds and great atmosphere proved to be the best tribute possible for Bulldog Bash founder Dr Maz Harris, who died earlier this year in a motorbike accident. Despite it being the first festival without him, Mr Littlefield said the spirit of the genial and fun-loving Hell's Angel was definitely still there.

"It was a struggle without Maz and everybody thought about him a lot over the weekend. It wasn't until it ended we realised how hard he worked for us," he said.

The sorely-missed biker received further tribute with a decorated nose-cone on a private jet belonging to the oldest of the three brothers who own the former airfield, Anthony Hodges. A close friend of Dr Harris, he had the cone decorated in Hell's Angels colours, taken from World War II fighter planes of the same name.

Police were delighted with the behaviour of crowds on all days. The crime-free reputation of the festival remains intact after just one theft was reported and police said bikers had listened to pleas to observe speed limits.

Deputy chief constable Mick Brewer said the only headache caused by bikes came on Saturday when there was not a single parking space to be found through town.