In Pictures: Foam, fire and festivals – the lighter side of 2024

Crazy races and fiery processions helped raise spirits through a difficult year.

People wearing coloured cone-shaped hats messing around in mud — Competitors take part in the annual Maldon Mud Race (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Despite the backdrop of global wars and a continuing cost-of-living crisis, Britons still found time to have fun in 2024.

From racing through mud on lawnmowers to riding penny farthings while dressed in tweed, people up and down the country still found unusual ways to enjoy themselves.

Here the PA news agency looks at some of the more bizarre activities of 2024.

The galley consumed by flames during the Up Helly Aa fire festival — The Jarl Squad set light to the galley in Lerwick on the Shetland Isles during the Up Helly Aa fire festival (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Revellers dressed in Norse costumes holding flaming torches — Originating in the 1880s, the festival celebrates Shetland’s Norse heritage (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Riders dressed in tweed gathered on their bikes before the start of the annual Tweed Run — Riders gather before the start of the annual Tweed Run (Jeff Moore/PA)

People dressed in tweed riding bikes, including a man on a penny farthing — Dogs and penny farthings were on show during the annual cycling event in London (Jeff Moore/PA)

Members of the Pentacle Drummers perform in front of a burning wicker man (Andrew Matthews/PA)

A man wearing a costume is in silhouette in front of a bonfire — The Beltain Celtic Fire Festival took place at Butser Ancient Farm, near Waterlooville, Hampshire (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Competitors race in a heat during the World Lawnmower Championships (Andrew Matthews/PA)

A man looking under his mower — The event is held by the British Lawn Mower Racing Association at Pondfield Farm, Alford, Surrey (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Two men sprawled in mud — Competitors take part in the annual Maldon Mud Race in Essex (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Building restoration specialists abseil down the walls of Warwick Castle during the landmark’s annual external clean (Jacob King/PA)

Students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight (Jane Barlow/PA)

Students taking part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight — The event takes place on St Salvator’s Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife (Jane Barlow/PA)

People jump the fire during the Beltane celebrations at Glastonbury Chalice Well (Ben Birchall/PA)

A green man observes a modern interpretation of the ancient Celtic pagan fertility rite of spring (Ben Birchall/PA)

Participants during an annual bonfire night procession held by the Lewes Bonfire Societies (Gareth Fuller/PA)

A man in a horned helmet holding a flaming torch — The parade goes through the town of Lewes in East Sussex (Gareth Fuller/PA)