FAMILIES are being encouraged to get on their bikes and join in the festivities at Wallingford's Festival of Cycling.

The event will be back for the third year running on Sunday, July 16, and 7,500 people are expected to attend.

Highlights will include a UK first – the British National Junior Men and Women’s Road Race Championships on the same day in the same place.

Organiser Tony Sefton said staging the festival in Wallingford was a great opportunity to encourage residents to take up cycling and he urged them to join in on the day, with the Kinecroft used as the venue for a range of events and displays.

The open space will be transformed, with a range of stalls and attractions available to visitors, with events including stunt shows, BMX riding and the chance to try out a Penny Farthing bike.

Mr Sefton said: "One of the key aims of the festival is to encourage participation in as many levels and types of cycling as possible.?

"We were delighted with the response last year, particularly with the number of children taking part.

"My message to all is, even if you haven’t ridden for a while, get on your bike and we’ll see you on July 16.

"The Kinecroft was used for the first time last year but this time there will be much more going on there, almost every blade of grass will be covered."

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 increased to more than 1,800, while they were cheered on by 5,000 spectators.

Events ranged from?children’s fun races?to?an elite-level?race that drew gasps from spectators as the?pack?raced around the town centre?circuit.

All races will start and finish in Wallingford and the newly crowned National Junior Champions will be presented with their striped National Champion jerseys in the town centre.

Visitors are encouraged to cycle to the event and the organisers have arranged a free secure bike park with room for 2,000 bikes on the Kinecroft.

There is a five-mile family ride, an 11-mile mountain bike ride, and two road sportives of 50km and 110km for the real road cycling enthusiasts.

All rides can be completed in time for the afternoon race programme in the town centre, meaning visitors can take part in a ride, explore the festival, and stay to watch the racing.

The National Championship Races are expected to bring an extra 1,500 people to Wallingford from different parts of the UK.

Many of the visitors will be based at Wallingford School which will link up with host local teams Vision Innovative Leisure and GS Henley to be the race headquarters for the championship races.?

Spectators will be encouraged to cycle to the event, with secure free bike storage available on the day for up to 2,000 cycles.

Managers still need more marshals for the event.

For further information visit wallingfordfestivalofcycling.co.uk.