A WET and windy morning gave way to a bright and breezy afternoon, perfect for kite flying.

At the Indian Sports Club in Hacken Lane, Darcy Lever, members of Bolton's Hindu community celebrated the Makar Sankranti festival, welcoming the new year.

Instructor Harshi Vadera said: "It's a celebration of the new year and seasonal change, the end of winter and coming of spring as the days start to get longer."

After the weekly meeting of Bolton Hanuman Shakha parents and children enjoyed a spread of tasty food, including the sweet treat tilgul ­— sesame seeds and jaggery sugar.

Then they headed outside onto the playing fields to celebrate Makar Sankranti as it is celebrated in India with a host of kites flying in the sky.

Janhavi Kanekar, aged 14, is a youth leader with the group she gave a talk about the significance of the festival.

The festival, which means "good change" in Sanskrit, is celebrated in India as people take to their roofs to fly their kites.

Neighbours try to cut the strings of each others kites with crushed glass coated on the string.