HUNDREDS of motorbike and scooter riders flocked to a seaside town, turning back the clocks to the 60s when mods and rockers clashed.

Bikers visited Walton recently, although this time there were no battles, just reminiscing conversations of years gone by and a communal love for bikes.

Years ago, Tendring’s coastline was the stage for high intensity battles by gangs of mods and rockers over Easter weekend in 1964.

The first clash between the fierce rivals saw boots, bottles and batons swung at Clacton’s Pier Avenue, after a gig by Freddie and the Dreamers played to an audience of 1,200 teenagers.

The disturbances continued across the Easter weekend, leading to front page headlines in the national press, with the Daily Mail even stating that Clacton represented a ‘new high-water mark in hooliganism’.

The influx of the two iconic groups had initially been helped by Clacton Council, who had gone out of its way at the time, to promote the area as a lively resort in an attempt to attract youngsters.

The council laid on some of the top groups at the time to perform in the town, including Freddie and the Dreamers at the Blue Lagoon on the pier, Shane Fenton and the Fentones at the council’s own Princes Theatre and Johnny Pilgrim and the Classics at the Westcliff Hotel.

This year’s celebration, which has become an annual event, was a lot more amicable. The event saw Mods and Rockers ride through Walton and stop at the Revved Up café for refreshments.

 A sight to delight petrol heads saw the Mods’ iconic Lambrettas and Vespas, immortalized by the Quadrophenia film, parked alongside the rockers’ Harley Davidsons.

Iconic rockabilly cover band, The Kopy Katz, attended the event, performing beloved hits from years gone by.