A STOURPORT biker who has raised thousands of pounds for good causes is urging people to join a charity rally in aid of young people coping with terminal cancer.

Mick Worrall, Wyre Forest marshal of the annual Ryan's Ryde rally, is asking people to gather for the three-day event, aimed at raising money for the Paul Ackrill Fund.

Hundreds of motorbike enthusiasts will be heading to Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Club, near junction 3 of the M42, from tomorrow for the live music and entertainment fund-raising bash, ending on Sunday.

Mr Worrall, manager of The Sweetjar, Stourport, said: "We started Ryan's Ryde last year because one of the biker's nephews died at 16 and we thought we'd have a ride in memory of him.

"They asked me to do the marshalling for Wyre Forest and we expected 300 riders and 1,500 turned up."

Riders from across the UK are set to arrive at the rugby club venue, on Friday, with the rally due to set off at 11am, on Saturday. The bikers will then travel 40 miles to Bourton-on-the-Water for lunch and return to the Portway rugby venue later the same day.

People can make their own way to the venue, on Friday, with motorcyclists welcome to gather at the B&Q Warehouse, Green Street, Kidderminster, at 9am, on Saturday.

Mr Worrall, 59, added: "I wanted to get all bikers in Wyre Forest together and involved to start doing charity work. I'm always going out of town to places like Stoke-on-Trent and the people round there come out of their homes to line the streets if we're doing a toy-run rally.

"Trying to get that going on around here is a task-and-a-half but I'm hoping to get Wyre Forest bikers along."

The father-of-six, who is set to raise £500 by having his ponytail cut off on the venue's stage, on Saturday, got into charity work following a near-fatal motorcycle crash eight years ago.

A further £500 has been raised by a raffle, with winners' names set to be drawn at The Sweetjar, today. All of the cash goes to the fund, which then hands out donations to terminally ill teenagers and young children.

Mr Worrall's work for good causes has led him to occasionally don a multi-coloured bird costume, earning him the nickname of "The Chicken".

He has raised thousands of pounds for County Air Ambulance, RSPCA, Forest Dog Rescue and Acorns Childrens Hospice.

He went on: "It's rewarding for me because I didn't have a very good upbringing and I know that my own hair, my ponytail, is going to help a child.

"I'm lucky to be here. I thought I've obviously been sent back for a reason because I died' twice so, since then, I've done charity work."

Revellers and bikers can pay for entry and camping on arrival with further information available by logging on to www.ryansryde.co.uk and www.paulackrillf.co.uk