Lawrence Smith (79) and his partner Brenda Denison (63) took in the sights and sounds of Whitby's latest gothic weekend.

The couple, from Hornchurch in Essex, have been coming to the events held each April and October since discovering it four years ago.

Resplendent in a grey suit and top hat with a large jewelled crucifix around his neck, Mr Smith said one of the things he enjoys most is seeing all the different outfits on display.

He said: "It's nice to see people dressing up to such a standard.

"Some of them really are exceptional, they must spend a lot of money but it's worth it."

Ms Denison whose red and black outfit was cobbled together from London's Camden Market and various charity shops has been interested in the gothic scene for a number of years.

While Brenda classes herself as a goth, Mr Smith says he isn't quite there yet.

He said: "I'm not quite a goth, I don't suppose, but my partner was a member of the Dracula Society.

"Then we stumbled across this and I sort of joined in with it, without necessarily being a goth. It gives us the opportunity to dress up."

Mingling with hundreds of other goths of all ages, shapes and sizes at Whitby Pavilion, Mr Smith said he and Ms Denison don't feel out of place despite their age and keep coming back to discover new things as the weekend gets more popular every year.

"I think it is gradually growing. Each time we come we see different because there is so much going on."