BRIGHTON residents say they are sick and tired of the London to Brighton Bike Ride being held on Father’s Day.

Almost 15,000 cyclists took part in the annual event on Sunday, raising money for the British Heart Foundation.

But many Brightonians have taken to social media to object to the event being held on Father’s Day.

With a number of road closures and heavy traffic returning to London they said the event makes it difficult to visit family.

Katie Brotherton, from Brighton, said she had found it hardto pick up her disabled grandfather on Sunday morning owing to the number of people.

She said: “I support it [the event] but I don’t agree with it being on Father’s Day.

“It makes life quite difficult really.”

Madeira Drive was closed from 6am until midnight on Sunday. Coldean Lane and Mill Road were also closed for most of the day.

Simran Banwait, a student from the University of Sussex, said she thought the timing was inconvenient given that some bus services are suspended or diverted as a result.

She said: “If you’re elderly or don’t drive you’re going to struggle as all the bus routes are on long roads. So it’s difficult if you’re not capable of walking them.”

Vanessa Boniface took to Facebook to call for the date of the ride to be changed.

She said her family would have liked to have celebrated the day in city but with so many people, bikes and road closures, they were forced to avoid Brighton.

Elizabeth Tack, from the London to Brighton Bike Ride, said there was good reason for the event being held on Father’s Day.

She said: “For the last 41 years the event has been held on Father’s Day and many people choose to do it in their father’s memory.

“We appreciate every penny that is raised for the BHF, all funds help us to save lives and continue the fight against heart and circulatory disease – the UK’s single biggest killer.

“The London to Brighton Bike Ride is our flagship fundraising event and this year we hope to have raised around £2 million to help fund our lifesaving heart research.

“It’s become a staple in many people’s calendar.”