The final curtain has closed for another year on a popular festival.

The community of Beaminster was entertained after the annual Beaminster Festival took place, with lots of different instruments, acts and performers holding residency in the town for the week-long event.

In its 23rd year, the festival was as popular as ever, with acts both local and national visiting the area.

Reflecting on the festival, festival director, Lois Pearson, said: "Once the planning is done, the moment of truth arrives when the festival opens.

"Will the audience like the music? Will the performers turn up? Will we still be solvent?

"Well this year the answer was a resounding yes to everything as the last concert, a complete sell-out by the Choir of Clare College Cambridge proved to be the icing on the cake.

"All the concerts were extremely well attended and momentum grew through the week.

"The Scott Brothers Duo were a great success playing well-known pop classics and giving the Steinway piano and the Skrabel organ a real workout.

"Glissandi on organ pedals are quite something to see. Such a relief after the organ blowing up 10 days before."

The festival wasn't without its drama, with one group of performers unable to make the performance, due to a lack of trains leaving London.

Thankfully for the organisers, Olivia Gomez and Ben Pinnow stepped in at the last moment, and gave a superb song recital on The Lives and Loves of Women, together with Trish Knight Webb who read some poetry.

Lois said: "To see Olivia entertaining the Beaminster Seniors at a Songs and Scones Concert, singing We'll Gather Lilacs had me in a complete heap, it was exactly part of my aim, to bring high class music to those who couldn't make it to the church."

One act who previously performed at the festival highlighted how far he had come through his ticket sales.

Martin James Bartlett, who entertained the Beaminster crowd in 2015, found that his performance was virtually sold-out.

It wasn't just the adults who got in on the entertainment for the festival.

School children from St Mary's Academy, Parrett and Axe, Mountjoy and Beaminster School treated visitors to pre-coffee concerts, and had concerts in the schools by the Magnard Ensemble.

Pupils at Mountjoy had a special song concert, and also a steel pans workshop.

Most of the pictures from the festival were taken by a student who was working with the organisers for their work experience, Jenny Cunningham.

Lois said: "We offered a Beaminster student a week's work experience, so Jenny had a week with professional photographer, Alan McNamee, learning technique, editing and people skills.

"Jenny now has accreditation to work at the Melplash Show."

France Hatch provided an exhibition of different aspects of her art at The Bridge House, which will be on for another three weeks.

Four literary events also took place, with Gordon Corera providing a talk on The Secret Pigeon Service, Daisy Goodwin on her Victoria series, Helen Rappaport on the launch of her book, and Tom Cox.

Despite the festival 23 being over, preparations have begun for festival 24, organisers have said.