A CORNER of York looked more like a traditional scene from Bavaria as revellers donned lederhosen and quaffed lager from steins in a huge bier tent.

The York Sports Club grounds at Clifton Park, off Shipton Road, were transformed to stage Oktoberfest, a traditional Bavarian bash like no other.

Organisers expected to sell 30,000 litres of bier over the two days of the festival, on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening, as thousands descended on the site from across York and from other towns and cities across the region, including Leeds, Scarborough and Hull.

There was traditional folk music from an ‘Oompop’band, leading to foot stomping, table bashing and hearty singing.

A spokesman said Oktoberfest was the world's largest beer and folk festival, which traditionally took place in Munich, Germany, in September and October.

"Oktoberfest began in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sace-Hildburghausen," he said.

"The royal newlyweds deemed the party so great that they wanted to repeat it every year and so Oktoberfest has been celebrated in Munich every fall since then."

He said 5.9 million people descended on Munich to attend this year's event, while other cities across the world now held Oktoberfest style celebrations based on the Munich festival.

About 1,000 came along on Saturday afternoon and 1,500 in the evening.