MORE than 2,000 people enjoyed the 35 events put on as part of the inaugural Exmoor Dark Skies Festival held over half term.

Highlights included dusk safaris, stargazing adventures, wild glow stick swimming, an Astro Party and a giant mobile planetarium. More than 200 schoolchildren took part in a night-time adventure at Wimbleball as part of the festival and a new short film was premiered.

To help build on this 150,000 Euros has been secured from the European Regional Development Fund to boost Astro Tourism in the area further.

The National Park Authority is also hosting a family stargazing weekend at their Pinkery Centre for Outdoor Learning from the 16 to 18 March 2018. Dan James, Sustainable Economy Manager at Exmoor National Park, said: "We are really pleased with how the festival has gone – not only did we attract new visitors to the area, we also engaged with many local communities and several businesses put on their own events within the festival programme."