ANOTHER Fine Fest "went up a level this year", as the all-day music and arts event drew in thousands of people from across the country on Saturday.

The Ulverston festival returned for a third year, and its director, Dave Crossley, said it exceeded all expectations.

"Everything was better than I could have ever imagined," he said.

"All the new things we introduced, like the street party and road closures, they worked really well and made it feel even more of a party this year.

"We were very lucky with the weather, and we deserved it after last year. It was definitely the best one yet, and it just felt like it went up a level."

More than 100 live bands, solo acts and DJs performed live across 11 official venues, and all manner of street performers, artists and circus acts contributed to the carnival atmosphere, which swept the town from Saturday morning until the early hours of Sunday.

A potentially world record-breaking pie fight kicked off proceedings in Ford Park, and a number of walls in Ulverston were also decorated by graffiti artists, adding to works created in previous years.

While there was a lack of a star name headlining the event - the last two years saw Paul Merton and Richard Herring perform live at the Roxy Cinema - it didn't diminish the quality of the programme, which included acts from all over the UK and even further afield.

Mr Crossley continued: "It was a shame last year that the show at the Roxy took people away from what was going on in the rest of the town, but it's something we'd consider doing next year.

"All the feedback again was how much people loved it and telling me how it should be a two-day event. I want to perfect it as a one-day event first, but it might be good to have a big name on at the Roxy on the Friday to kick things off."

Phillip Jones, from South Carolina, has visited each year with his puppet act. He said: "I look forward to this event each year when I come over. The people are just wonderful and I like coming to the pubs and talking to the people.

"I like being here and playing the Stan Laurel Character. We like to get out and have some fun."

Dean Currie, of Barrow, took part in the pie fight, which could yet land Another Fine Fest in the Guinness Book of Records, and also saw the festival's first appearance on regional TV news. He said: "It was a brilliant way to start the whole thing. Ulverston does this sort of thing more often and I think it is brilliant that everyone comes here and people come and support everything like this."

Another Fine Fest once again called upon crowd funding to help stage the event - a method that will continue in the future.

An increased amount of promotion also helped to draw in the biggest audience so far, with estimates of between 5,000 and 10,000 people visiting for the festival on Saturday.

"It was definitely the biggest," said Mr Crossley.

"I've been promoting it a lot further afield this year, and handing out the programme at a number of other events.

"A lot of the bands on the line-up are festival regulars too, so they've helped spread the word.

"The crowd funding does make it feel like it belongs to the people that donated, and, as with last year, it would feel wrong of us not to do it again next year."