SHOPPERS thronged with tourists to Durham's bustling city centre over the weekend.

Good weather helped to further boost the numbers visiting the Durham Summer Festival, which featured entertainment, music and historical spectacle.

A falconer, with his birds of prey, provided much interest on Palace Green, while the living history displays of Medieval and Anglo Saxon re-enactment groups fascinated visiting tourists, in particular, in the Market Place.

A new venue for this year's festival was Millennium Place outside the Gala Theatre. It provided a suitable setting for most of the musical and dance offerings, including Korean 'Worship' dancers, gospel singers from Georgia, a jazz ensemble and the traditional brass of colliery bands.

City centre manager Chris Rawlinson, said the number of visitors kept on coming through the weekend. "I was amazed at just how many people were still here late into the afternoon, making the most of the sunshine. There was something for everyone and it's been an excellent weekend.

There is plenty to attract visitors to Durham in coming weeks, with the Miners' Gala on Saturday and a jazz and mini motor show weekend on July 20/21.