A COLOURFUL event at a North-East visitor centre has marked the start of spring.

Durham University’s Oriental Museum celebrated Holi, the Indian Spring Festival, with people throwing bright powders over friends and relatives on Sunday.

The powder-throwing sessions ran alongside craft activities, storytelling, music, and traditional rangoli drawing.

Ticketholders were given one bag of environmentally-friendly and skin-kind Holi powder in a range of colours.

Everyone was then invited to throw the powder in a coordinated countdown set to a backdrop of traditional Indian music, Bhangra hits and upbeat pop.

Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities in Europe and North America.

Charlotte Spink, the event organiser, said: “This year’s Holi festival was spectacularly colourful.

“We have had tremendous support from the Hindu community in organising the event, and we have been looking forward to this wonderful day.

“Visitors have had fun getting messy in the powder throws and also enjoyed the free crafts.”