Cyclists of all ages are expected to converge on Hadleigh this September for the town’s first ever cycling festival.

Organised by Hadleigh Cycling Club, the inaugural festival will take place over the weekend of September 19 and 20 and will feature a junior event for young cyclists on the Saturday and a non-competitive ‘sportive’ for adults on Sunday.

Organisers hope the event will capitalise on the current national and countywide interest in cycling, and enthuse children and their parents to take up the sport. In addition, the festival should draw hundreds of adult cyclists to Hadleigh and benefit the town’s businesses.

The sportive has been named “The Gayford Flyer” in recognition of Hadleigh’s world record breaking aviator, Oswald Gayford. The 16km, 50km and 100km routes will take the riders past the Gayford family home in Angel Street and his final resting place in Naughton Churchyard.

Club chairman Adam Chamberlin said: “We believe this weekend supports Suffolk’s Year of Cycling and links with the county council’s ambition to be the ‘most active county’.

“It will also help to ensure that there is a legacy for cycling in Hadleigh after we are visited by the professionals in June with the Women’s Tour, and the Tour of Britain in September.”

Currently, the club has support for the sportive from the Pedal House, The George Public House, Sunny Day Cycleworks, Crockett Garage and Rattlesden Gliding Club.