THE race is on to find volunteer race marshals and stewards for this year's Wallingford's Festival of Cycling.

The free-wheeling festival will be back for the third year running on Sunday, July 16, and highlights will host a UK first – the British National Junior Men and Women’s Road Race Championships on the same day in the same place.

The first festival in 2015 was used as the backdrop for an episode of the TV detective series Midsomer Murders and about six million viewers saw the town centre used as a live set for a cycling competition.

Last year's festival built on that success and the number of cyclists taking part soared to 2,000, while they were cheered on by 5,000 spectators.

New to the festival last year were Penny Farthings and a Men’s Road Race.

Festival organiser and Wallingford resident Nigel Rayner said: "The last two years have been fantastic, and with under 100 days to go we are now looking for people to come forward as volunteers to be race marshals and stewards this year.

"There is a lot to get involved with – we want to boost interest in competitive cycling for young people.

"We also want to create more interest in recreational cycling and there will lots happening on the Kinecroft.

"It's the third year we have run the festival and we would like to see the same number of spectators return.

"People can turn up on the day, do a 50km or 100km loop of the area, then later on watch the races.

"Shops, cafes pubs and restaurants will all get a boost."

The British Cycling National Junior Championships for Men and Women will start and finish in the town centre.

A peloton of up to 120 riders and 50 support vehicles will make up a special race convoy.

At the end of the races the newly-crowned national champions will be presented their special striped national champion jerseys in the historic town centre.

The previous top three riders in the race, first held in 1953, include Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard, all now international stars and Olympians.

Mr Rayner added: "The Market Place will be shut to traffic and people can ride in and leave their bikes for the day at the secure bike park on the Kinecroft."

Mayor of Wallingford Ros Lester said: "The town council has backed this event from the beginning so we are delighted it is hosting the national junior championships."

For more information visit wfoc.co.uk