Families and friends enjoyed a summer street party to celebrate the city's Roman history.

17,000 people in St Albans enjoyed a summer festival with live music, food and drink stalls and family-friendly activities.

The city centre was closed to traffic for six hours on June 23 (Sunday) for the annual Alban Street Festival.

The festival celebrated St Alban's rich history, the theme this year focused on the Roman era with appearances from armour-clad centurions and gladiators.

Families were able to help paint a giant mosaic floor and there were demonstrations on pottery art whilst Roman soldiers showcased their equipment and tents.

There were street performers, sand art, face painting and the event finished after the annual Alban Pilgrimage which featured a parade of giant puppets celebrating Saint Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr.

Portfolio holder for business, culture and tourism Cllr Mandy McNeil said: “The Alban Street Festival was a great success with thousands of people thronging the city centre and enjoying a fabulous day out.

“I was very impressed with the Roman stalls which recreated the city’s past as the Roman town of Verulamium, especially the clay modelling which was really interactive and attracted a great deal of interest from the crowds.

“Together with the Alban Pilgrimage, the street festival made for a fantastic weekend while the atmosphere in the city centre was electrifying.

“The weekend’s events also gave the local economy a major boost with thousands of people from far and wide spending money with our local market traders and in our shops, restaurants and cafe."