HUNDREDS of visitors flocked to this year’s Bury Art Festival, making it the most successful event yet.

Organisers believe more art lovers than ever before viewed the creations on display at Bury Art Museum.

Artwork worth between £10,000 and £15,000 was sold during the week-long festival, which ended on Saturday.

All of the artists agreed to donate at least 30 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of their work to Bury Hospice, in Rochdale Old Road.

A further £1,300 was raised for the hospice at a charity day held on Sunday at Fusion hairdressers, in Ramsbottom.

Judith Skinner, art festival chairman, said: “I think it has been busier than other years. Because we are becoming more known, people are coming along who have been before as well as new people, so we are thrilled about that.

“Its been a great success and we have raised several thousand pounds for the hospice.”

The fourth annual festival included work by 109 artists and the featured artist was Robert Cox, from Ainsworth.

A charcoal drawing by Stephen Walton was named Best In Exhibition, a painting by Freya Horsley won the Vera Skinner Art Prize and an acrylic painting by Anne Fryers won the Ken Bromley Art Materials Prize.

Visitors to the exhibition chose a black and white acrylic painting of band Oasis, by David Barnes, to receive the People’s Choice Award.

There was also a display of artwork by pupils from several primary schools at Bury Library, which was won by Guardian Angels RC Primary School in Bury.