THE sound of revving engines and beeping horns tore through the county yesterday as more than 2,500 bikers honoured the Armed Forces.

Hundreds lined the roads to greet the motorcyclists as they rode 24 miles from Dalton Barracks to the Memorial Garden in Carterton for Oxfordshire’s first Ride of Respect.

The event, organised by the Royal British Legion’s Riders Branch, is expected to have raised tens of thousands of pounds for forces’ charities.

John Foster, 53, who lost his 19-year old son Private Robbie Foster in Afghanistan in 2007, took part in the ride with a flag bearing a picture of his son tied to his bike.

The retired firefighter from Essex said he had feared the memory of his son would fade, but added: “Members of the biker community will never let that happen.”

Bicester-based 23 Pioneer Regiment’s Private Alex Stringer, who lost three limbs when he stepped on a bomb in Afghanistan in January 2011, also rode as a passenger.

The 22-year-old said: “It’s amazing to see how many people have come to support us.”

The bikers set off from the barracks near Abingdon in groups of 500 every 15 minutes from 9.30am.

They were escorted by police along the route, with rolling road blocks in place.

Allan Stephens, from the RBL Riders Branch, said a lot of the bikers were ex-Army.

He said the route was “gorgeous” and the sight of hundreds of bikes was a “brilliant” spectacle, adding: “With the number of bikes and the types of bikes, it is awesome.”

Each rider donated at least £10 to take part and volunteers collected money from the crowds.

The legion spends £1.7m a week on welfare for injured servicemen and their families, and on general welfare for veterans and other beneficiaries.

Oxfordshire has been hosting repatriations for fallen soldiers since September 2011. Carterton mayor Lynn Little said: “This is another extension of respect for our service personal who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

The route went through Cothill, Cumnor, Stanton Harcourt, Aston and Bampton, before reaching RAF Brize Norton and the garden in Norton Road, Carterton.

Go to oxfordmail.co.uk/ news/pictures/ to see our picture gallery of the event