This is the 43rd year of seven days of dancing in the streets, music and singing in the pubs, concerts and dances.

This long-standing celebration of the traditional music, dance and song of the British Isles has become an annual pilgrimage for many music lovers.

More than 600 events included workshops, concerts, singarounds, dances, sessions and street entertainment.

Graham Pirt, a singer with band Cockersdale, told the Whitby Gazette: "It has gone really well and our procession was one of the biggest in a long while.

"The venues have been delighted with the numbers which are up this year on last year.

"It's unfortunate that due to the bad weather, some of the dance outs have not had that many spectators."

Highlights included the Coyne brothers and Windy Gyle band who wowed the audience with shared music from Northumberland and Ireland.

Lest We Forget, the poems of Rudyard Kipling set to music by Peter Bellamy, also proved a hit.

l DUTCH yachtsmen and women were visiting Whitby this week to coincide with the town's Folk Week.

Keith Gowland, Rear Commodore 'Cruise' told the Gazette: "Twelve boats have set off and nine are already here although two had to turn back, one because it got a fishing net wrapped round it.

"They've done the crossing in a very quick time with very strong winds in three metre seas from Holland.

"They have done well as much fewer made it over last year."

The Dutch sailing association, the Toezeilers, are on their 19th annual visit to Whitby.

They purposely coincide their visit with Whitby Folk Week and musician Henk Van Weers will be playing a duet in the yacht club.

Whitby Yacht Club hosted a reception on Tuesday evening which was attended by the town's Mayor and Mayoress Steve and Amanda Smith.

The mayor presented a tankard to the lead shipper Rainier De Groot. The Toezeilers round trip is 400 miles.