WORLD champion cyclist Chris Newton took the field by storm at the annual Rochdale Grand Prix.

The three times Olympic medal winner made it four wins in a row at the Rochdale Grand Prix – part of the British Cycling National Elite Series which brings top class road racing to 11 cities and towns across Britain.

Hundreds turned out in the heat to the event organised by leisure and cultural trust Link4Life. In a line-up of 100 top class cyclists, including Beijing gold medal winner Ed Clancy MBE and current British National Road Race champion Kristian House, all eyes were on the number one rider to see if Chris would be victorious again, and on his wedding anniversary.

The hour-long event started and finished in South Parade and followed a circuit of Baillie Street, Penn Street, Yorkshire Street, Hunters Lane, St Mary’s Gate and Newgate before finishing back at South Parade. Streets were closed to traffic between 6pm and 10pm.

The champions trophy was presented by the mayor and mayoress, Councillor Keith Swift and Sue Etchells. Chris said: "The Rochdale Grand Prix is a great event and the course is obviously one that suits my riding – it’s great to win again."

First past the support race finishing line earlier on the night was optician Lewis Craven from Norden, of Craven and Murray opticians, in Edenfield Road. He represented the cycling team Herbalife Wheelbase and has been cycling since he was 11.

The race was started by Rochdale’s paralympic judo and cycling champion Simon Jackson MBE.

The Grand Prix event was supported by a schools’ competition and a ‘Pedal Power’ action zone packed with indoor cycling, rowing and dance mats and the chance to win a mountain bike. The winning team was from Healey Primary School.

Peter Jackson, of Link4Life, said: "This is a great event for Rochdale and it brought many hundreds of people out to watch a spectacular national cycling event and people of all ages found out how to get involved in cycling and other sporting and fitness activities in the borough."