SHOPPERS and visitors were treated to a festival of music and dancing when a market town was brought to life with a feast of entertainment.

The annual Teesdale Thrash, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is a popular event that attracts crowds from all over the region.

People living in the town hope that the event has been an important step towards the recovery of the Dale in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

It was one of the few community festivals to go ahead during last year's epidemic and it was a hit once again at the weekend as dancers took to the streets in the town.

Delighted shoppers looked on as a colourful procession marched through the town before dispersing to form small dancing displays on the street and in the grounds of Bowes Museum.

As a climax to the events, visitors enjoyed a sell-out ceilidh on Saturday, before another packed day of entertainment yesterday