More than 1,200 bikers take part in Durham Easter Egg Run

Hundreds of people lined the streets as a record-breaking 1,264 bikers arrived at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Easter bunnies, Captain America, Cookie Monster and Minions were some of the bikers chosen attire for the feel-good ride which brought families and people of all ages together.

The streets of Darlington were filled with the sounds of revving engines, children screaming and shouting and dogs barking. In one word, excitement.

One child, upon seeing Captain America rev his engine, screamed: “I love you Captain America”, to which the Avenger gave a little salute.

Orgainsers said it was the biggest Durham Easter Egg Run yet (Image: Chris Booth)

Organiser Graeme Mills said he was “flabbergasted” by the number of bikes which turned out and thanked the public who lined the streets.

He said: “It was our biggest year ever, with 1,264 bikes. It has gone fantastic, that’s the only word I can say.

“I think this has been the biggest year for public support along the route. It makes it a spectacular event, and I am really pleased the public turned out to support in some not so good weather conditions too.”

Children and families lined the streets for the Durham Easter Egg Run (Image: Chris Booth)

The event has been a staple since 2005 when just a few hundred bikers took part, with the event getting bigger and bigger each year.

It took just under 30 minutes for all 1,264 bikers to make their way along Woodland Road, onto Hollyhurst Road and into the hospital.

The Durham Easter Egg Run outside Darlington Memorial Hospital (Image: Chris Booth)

The sun was shining on their arrival, as children and families got a glimpse of the bikes.

The bikers set off from the Durham Tesco in Dragonville at 10am, travelling en-masse to Darlington Hospital and arriving at about 11am.

The break meant children had a chance to see the bikes up close and personal and people could deliver Easter eggs to the children’s wards.

And Graeme spoke about the importance of the run.

“It has become an annual event. It does take a lot of organising, but the feeling you get as a biker is just really nice,” he said.

“Some of the team members have been around SEN groups and autism walks and given Easter eggs out. It pulls at your heartstrings when we get to do this.”

The sun was shining on the bikers as they rode into Darlington (Image: Chris Booth)

The hospital in Darlington was packed with a sea of bikes; there were that many bikes that some even parked outside the hospital.

Bikers handed out Easter eggs and let children sit on their bikes, and Graeme called it a “fantastic experience”.

He said: “Seeing the looks on the children’s faces, no words can describe it.

“A couple of years ago, we got absolutely soaked on the way down and my helmet was drenched. A kid wanted to try it on, and I did tell him how wet it was, but he put it on and was so happy.”

And Graeme thanked everyone who has donated eggs and money to the run this year.

The Durham Easter Egg Run outside Darlington Memorial Hospital (Image: Chris Booth)

The organiser said: “There are loads of supermarkets, members of the public who have supported us. We get more and more each year.

“The support of the Easter eggs for the kids in hospital, we could not do that without the public’s support. There are groups, workplaces that also collect Easter eggs to donate. It has become a long-established event, and it is being recognised for all the right reasons.”

Some of the charities benefitting from the run today include the Teenage Cancer Trust, British Heart Foundation, Feeding Families, and Missed A Beat, among others.

At the time of writing, nearly £4,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe page, with hundreds more expected from fundraising across the day.

You can donate to the fundraiser by visiting: www.gofundme.com/f/durham-easter-egg-run-2026.