Bringing the Tour of Britain along the Devizes Road through Hilperton rather than along the wider A361 may have raised a few eyebrows when it was first announced.

Narrower streets and speed bumps may not appear to be the natural place for 114 professional cyclists but the crowds in Hilperton fully vindicated organisers SweetSpot Group’s decision.

Both Mead Community Primary School and Hilperton CE Primary School brought hundreds of pupils to the route to add that extra level to the volume.

Volume and colour as many excited pupils brought posters to brighten up the route as the sun struggled to break through the thick cloud.

Residents too got into the spirit with flags and Union Jack bunting ready to support Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish as they cruised through.

Between 9.30am and 10.30am the streets went from having just a sole Wiltshire Council golden bike to holding many hundreds of people as they lined the streets through the village.

Soon the roads were more representative of Trowbridge high street on a Saturday afternoon than a small rural village.

Despite being less than an hour into stage six, the 20 teams of cyclists were split into two clear groups as they flew through.

The blur of bikes, helmets, sponsors and team cars all sped by quickly, as the whirlwind that is the Tour of Britain disappeared off towards Seend, Devizes and, eventually, Hemel Hempstead.

Villager Edwina Abrook said: "It was amazing and nice to see lots of villagers turn out.  We don't see anything like this very often."