Ccylists took to their bikes for a slow ride to protest about the future of a racing track.

Competitive racing has been banned at the Preston Park velodrome in Brighton because of concerns about the upkeep of the facility.

The outdoor facility, the oldest in the country, is available to all and maintained by Brighton and Hove City Council.

British Cycling, the national governing body, has called on the city council to make the repairs it says are needed to bring it up to standard.

Training and leisure riding is allowed but competitive racing cannot take place there until the improvements are made.

The council says it was working with British Cycling to identify costs and explore potential sources of funding.

It is believed the cost of repairs could be as much as £300,000.

Riders braved poor weather conditions on Saturday morning to ride on the track to highlight their fight for improvements.

More than 3,000 have signed a petition which will be presented to the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee on March 17.

To sign the petition, visit brighton- hove.gov.uk and search for ‘petition’.