Historic motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles spluttered their way through glorious sunshine for the 65th Sunbeam Pioneer Run.

More than 300 veteran machines set off yesterday at 8am from Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, on the 50-mile journey, finishing at Madeira Drive, Brighton.

Almost all the 328 veteran machines, which made their way through Handcross, Cowfield and Henfield, completed the renowned run, though a few fell by the wayside and some needed gentle persuasion.

One competitor, travelling on a Wall Autowheel motorised bicycle from between 1909 and 1916, had to push her contraption the final two miles to cross the finish line triumphant.

An 1896 Leon Bollee motorcycle completed the run without a hitch to be awarded the prize for the oldest motorcycle by Brighton and Hove mayor David Watkins.

The historic event, started by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club in 1930, is mostly for pre-1915 motorcycles.

Among the machines were First World War bikes used by despatch riders in Flanders and the Somme.

Many of the motorcycles are collectors' items worth more than £20,000.

Marjorie Ayres, wife of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club chairman, Lieutenant Colonel 'Tiny' Ayres, said: "It was a wonderful day. The weather was gorgeous and there were no major hiccups. Almost all the bikes made it, although inevitably a few fell by the wayside.

"We were told to expect an anti-war demonstration, but we didn't see any evidence of it - only motorbikes filled the roads."

The veteran bikes were joined by hundreds of modern machines at Madeira Drive as enthusiasts took the opportunity to parade their own prized machines.