CLEAR skies meant the thousands of revellers who flocked to Stonehenge got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise at this year's Summer Solstice on Monday morning.

About 20,000 druids, pagans and revellers from across the country and abroad travelled to the famous Wiltshire landmark to celebrate the longest day of the year.

Numbers were lower than last year's record-breaking event, which fell on a weekend and had a crowd of 36,500, but for the first time in recent years clouds didn't block the view of the sunrise at just before 5am.

As the sky started to brighten the Widders Border morris dancers performed several routines next to the Hele Stone, before druids performed rituals and hailed the sun.

Revellers filled the stone circle and the crowd cheered as the sun came up between the stones.

Druid King Arthur Pendragon said: "I thought this year went exceedingly well. It was a nice crowd and a nice atmosphere and with a great spirit of co-operation - how could it not be a successful solstice?

"Lots of pagans say they are fed up with the revellers but I don't have that view. Even if they initially come for the wrong reasons, they return for the right ones in the end.

"It's the spirit of the place, Stonehenge itself, that draws people here and even if they don't respect the stones the first time they do by the next year."

No major incidents were reported. Wiltshire Police made 34 arrests - one on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, two minor thefts, two for assault, three for possession with intent to supply drugs, one drink driving, nine drunk and disorderly and 16 possession of drugs. A police spokesman said they were happy with how the event had gone and, despite the arrests, the solstice had been mostly peaceful.