A NORMALLY-peaceful Oxfordshire village was taken over by the smell of petrol and the sound of roaring engines.

Thousands of bikers, and their machines of all shapes and sizes, descended on Cassington on Monday for the annual bike night.

And it was all in aid of village good causes.

Jim Gaisford, 48, came from Bath for the evening.

He said: “It is brilliant fun. What more could you want than an evening of watching motorbikes?

“The bike night is a real party.”

Meeting outside the Red Lion pub and The Chequers Inn, they spent the evening taking in the evening summer sunshine.

Barbecues, music and plenty of beer had all been laid on.

Jake Cannon, 44, from Swindon, said: “It is a chilled out, relaxed evening and there’s a nice atmosphere.

“A lot of people like coming year after year. You get a chance to see a lot of bikes you don’t normally see.”

Nigel Brundson, from Gloucestershire, said: “I come up most years and it’s nice to meet up with the other bikers, particularly if the weather is good.”

Bikers have been coming to Cassington for around 30 years, but last year’s event was cancelled because of road safety concerns.

Organisers had been told they would have to close the road through the village but did not have enough time to sort it.

But this year the highways authority Oxfordshire County Council even laid on a road safety stall for the bikers.

Even the Cassington Women’s Institute got involved, making sandwiches and cakes and organising a tombola.

Seventy nine-year-old Megan Humphris said: “Every one loves the bike night. We all muck in when it comes around.”

The evening raises thousands of pounds for local causes, including St Peter’s Primary School and the church bells.

Cassington Pre-school Playgroup and Cassington Sports and Social Club also benefit from the bike night.

Village resident Malcolm Teal, 44, said: “We have been living here for 15 years and it is the best it has ever been.”