Thousands gather for annual lantern festival in Sheffield suburb

Sharrow Lantern Carnival has been a firm fixture on the city's calendar since first taking place in 2004.

It was launched when a group of friends walked together in Sharrow, flying colourful home-made lanterns to mark a year since the Iraq War.

Now the event has spiralled and this evening attracted thousands of people who danced to the sounds of live music, while showing off hundreds of weird and wonderful lanterns.

This year’s theme was ‘Disco At The End Of The Universe’ which included inventive designs featuring astronauts and aliens.

They gathered close to Mount Pleasant Park before leading the procession through the streets of Sharrow before ending up in Cemetery Park.

The crowds put down their large lanterns around the edge of the park before gathering to watch a spectacular show by the fire-spinners all to the beat of the samba band.

Sharrow resident James Starky, aged 44, chair of the organising committee, described it as a “fantastic event to give the community the chance to meet, dance and have fun.”