THOUSANDS of people gathered yesterday as the world-famous Up Helly Aa fire festival lit up Shetland.
The event, which attracts visitors from around the globe, takes place in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January each year.
People dressed as Vikings marched through the streets of the town to recreate its ancient Viking past, in a tradition dating back to the 19th century.
The walk is traditionally led by the Guizer Jarl, or Chief Guizer, and culminates in a torch-lit procession and a replica longboat being set alight. Volunteers are responsible for the building of the galley boat and the production of more than 1000 torches.
Those who took part in the festival spent the night visiting a host of celebrations in halls around the town.
Shetland and Orkney were ruled by the Norse for about 500 years until they became part of Scotland in 1468.
The festival stems from the 1870s when a group of young local men wanted to put new ideas into Shetland’s Christmas celebrations.
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