THOUSANDS of people packed into the town to see the seventh Skipton International Puppet Festival this weekend

Organisers say it was a great success, with all shows sold out, and thousands visiting the Festival Hubsite on Coach Street car park to enjoy free puppet shows and walkabouts – including a life-size giraffe, a zebra and two lions as well as favourites like Punch and Judy.

The local community also turned out inforce to line the streets for the Puppet Parade, featuring giant puppets from Hebden Bridge’s Handmade Parade alongside fabulous creations from local community groups and pre-festival workshops.

The weekend passed without a hitch, the weather behaved itself, and the organisers were delighted to see so many people from near and far enjoying puppetry from across the UK, Europe and further afield.