A SCOOTER rally once again delighted enthusiasts as it made its annual return to an island.

This year’s Mersea Island Scooter Rally marked the 29th time the high-octane event zoomed through the region.

In total, about 2,000 people attended the event with scooters, live bands and music rooms attracting crowds from all over Europe.

“We had Austrians, Germans, French and people from the Netherlands, Scotland, the Isle of Wight and Ireland,” said Niamh Pennington, one of the rally organisers.

It’s a far cry from the inaugural event held in 1993 where 450 people turned up, with demand for the event now outstripping the tickets available supply.

Niamh continued: “The club is immensely proud of it, it’s just gone from strength to strength.

“This year it was lovely, the weather was fantastic and we had no trouble at all, no incidents were reported. It was wonderful.

“We have a trader market too where people come from all over the country to sell. It all went really well.”

Next year’s rally, which will mark its 30th anniversary, is expected to be bigger and better than ever.

The dates are yet to be confirmed but Niamh stated it’s bound to be a good one.

She extended her thanks to the Mersea Lions, who ran the car park this year.