A BUSKING festival was revived in York at the weekend - following a three-year break - to provide an afternoon of entertainment for people in the city centre.

But the competition element was replaced by a festival atmosphere, as four street acts from around the UK and a York-based band simply performed for the sake of entertainment rather than a prize.

The New York Dance Band kicked off the festivities in Parliament Street on Saturday, followed by acts from Dr Southall, whose medicine show involved trapeze tricks and sword swallowing, with a watery finale.

Street clown Maynard Flip Flap provided a very visual performance, the Splott Brothers injected a touch of comedy with their street caf scene and Matt Barnard's juggling saw him strip down from his tweed suit to his boxer shorts.

The new Lord Mayor of York, Councillor David Horton, joined the crowds watching the fun.

Organiser and MC Mark Brayshaw said: "This was the first year back since 1999, and it's probably the biggest crowd we've ever had at the busking festival.

"It was just to bring together a group of entertainers and give a whole afternoon's worth of entertainment to people in the city centre.

"In previous years it's been run as a competition, but it was so hard to judge - it's like comparing apples to oranges - that we decided to focus on the entertainment.

"It was a great success."

Updated: 11:34 Monday, May 27, 2002