SANTA'S unconventional helpers arrived early in Ipswich this year, riding Harley Davidsons and bearing gifts for disadvantaged children in the town.Members of the Black Shuck motorcycle club organised a bike rally on Saturday to deliver presents to the Willows Children's Centre.

SANTA'S unconventional helpers arrived early in Ipswich this year, riding Harley Davidsons and bearing gifts for disadvantaged children in the town.

Members of the Black Shuck motorcycle club organised a bike rally on Saturday to deliver presents to the Willows Children's Centre.

They were joined by charitable members of other biker clubs, and unaffiliated motorcyclists, who donated over 150 gifts which will be handed out over the festive period.

Black Shuck vice president Peter Gardner said: “We had about 100 bikes, and it went very well.

“We rode from the Orwell Motorcycles in Ipswich out to Hadleigh, then to East Bergholt and Brantham and back along the A137 into Ipswich.

“We had a great time and hopefully helped to spread some festive cheer.”

“We had everything from 50cc bikes to Harleys out for the run, it was a great success and we are looking forward to doing it again next year.”

The bikers donated new toys and games which they had bought themselves and will be donated to children of families that use the centre, as well as other children from less privileged backgrounds around Ipswich and the surrounding villages.

Centre assistant manager Tracey Baldry said: “It is a fantastic thing that they do, and we know the gifts are very much appreciated not just by the children but by the families as well.

“These are families that have more going on in their lives than a lot of people so Christmas can bring added stress and financial worry, we know from speaking to them that this helps to ease their burden.

“And it means the children get that little bit extra that they may not otherwise get at Christmas time.”

BLACK Shuck motorcycle club has around 30 members and takes its name from the devil dog of East Anglian folklore.

The dog is said to have appeared several times during the middle ages when it was responsible for killing members of the congregation at churches in Blythburgh and Bungay.

In more recent times reported sightings have been less public but his appearance is said to mean ill fortune for the witness.

It is thought that the legends may have inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous Sherlock Holmes adventure, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The dog is also mentioned in the Philip Pullman novel Northern Lights, which is soon to be released as the film under the book's American name, The Golden Compass.

Lowestoft rock band The Darkness included a song named after it on their 2003 album, Permission to Land.