The Wirral Egg Run has been cancelled for a second time after organisers announced that the event is too costly, despite a large funding injection and donations from the public.
The egg run has been a tradition in the Wirral since 1981 and organisers claim it is the biggest bike run in the world with bikers often dressing in fancy dress for the journey.
Motorcyclists usually travel 22 miles across the borough, starting at New Brighton Dips and ending at Clatterbridge Hospital delivering Easter eggs and gifts to sick children who will be spending Easter in hospital raising money for good causes along the way.
This is the second time that the popular event has been cancelled for 2013 after it was thought to have been saved by United Utilities in January, who gave £20,000 to the cause.
Despite this large amount of money from the water company, it is impossible to guarantee money from other sponsors, which means that the event will not be able to run properly or safely.
A spokesman from the charity said: “We have discussed other options for different versions of the run but with only seven weeks to plan such a major change, it is simply not feasible.
“Importantly, however, we would also like to stress that this is very much merely a hiatus for a much-loved event. Much work is now in progress to ensure the April 6, 2014, Wirral Egg Run returns, bigger and better, and we hope we can rely on everyone’s support to make next year a great success.”
Organisers suffered another blow after Clatterbridge hospital announced the usual “landing pad” for the bikers at the hospital is unusable as it is being refurbished.
Around 12,000 bikers took part last year, including Dale Ward, from Wallasey, whose uncle Matt Rose was heavily involved in organising the event before he passed away six years ago.
He told JMU Journalism: “It’s really annoyed a lot of people in our family that it’s been cancelled. We have done it year in year, my dad’s side of the family are all bikers an every year we wear a t-shirt with ‘R.I.P Matt Rose’ on.
“My uncle suffered from a disability and whatever donations we could get we’d give to a charity of my aunties choice but now we can’t even do that.”
Lauren Pugh has also always been involved in the egg run and she told JMU Journalism: “The egg run isn’t just ‘another day out’; it’s about bikers from all over getting together to do good for a brilliant cause. It gives the children something to look forward to through their hospital stays and brings Easter to them in a way they won’t forget.
“Why take something so good away from them? This is something that should not be stopped as it benefits the children as well as the local communities and it is something I personally, alongside most people who take part in the event, be it on the bikes, marshalling or even watching from the roadsides, look forward to every year.”