Pictures of Burning the Clocks 2023 solstice in Brighton

Intricate paper lanterns were paraded through Brighton to mark the shortest day of the year, finishing with a firework spectacle on the seafront.

It marked the 30th year of the Burning The Clocks event which attracts not only thousands taking part but also huge crowds lining the pavements to watch it pass by. This year's spectacle was said to be the biggest yet.

The fireworks display at the end of the night (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

The soundtrack of samba in the parade turned into a psychedelic electronic ambience as the parade came to a halt in Madeira Drive.

The lanterns included a giant illuminated clock set up on the beach to highlight this year's theme of clocks.

And while there was no bonfire this year amid fears over strong winds, the lanterns lined up along the promenade made for an astonishing sight.

People placing their lanterns on the promenade (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Engineer friends Mark Gregory, 45, and James Heath, 55, created a giant illuminated bike complete with moving cogs to represent the mechanism inside a clock.

The pair started work in October using a range of quirky parts from motors found in a toy of James's daughter Georgina to the frame of a Vietnamese rickshaw.

The duo's creation (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

"It's something to build things on. We did a praying mantis last year and who knows what we will do next year," said James.

"We tend not to find out what the theme is until quite late but as soon as we find out we start working out what we can do and what we can get away with."

Left to right: James, Georgina and Mark next to their creation (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Mark added: "We were a bit worried about the size of this and coming down some of the streets we were squeezing the crowd on both sides.

"It's the most ambitious design we've had to date. If it had been as windy as they said it was going to be, then we would have been very worried."

It was their second year taking part after watching the parade for several years and deciding they wanted to get involved in 2022.

An Empire Windrush replica was also carried through the streets (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Other lanterns included the Empire Windrush boat as well as the Tardis and a Dalek from Doctor Who.

Organisers Same Sky estimated that 2,300 people took part in the parade and some 28,000 watched it wind through New Road and North Street before heading through The Lanes and on to the seafront.