Residents and visitors turned out in their hundreds to see in the new year at the annual Allendale's Tar Bar'l New Years Eve event last night.

Hexham Courant: Youngsters also wanted to get involved in the eventYoungsters also wanted to get involved in the event (Image: Jonny Burns)

The traditional village festival is annually on December 31 in the Tynedale village and has been organised for more than 160 years.

We asked our readers to send in their pictures of the night.

Hexham Courant: Allendale men proud to carry the flameAllendale men proud to carry the flame (Image: Judith Boadle Reed)In the customary tradition, the group of 'guisers', 45 local men, carry whiskey barrels filled with burning hot tar through a procession, wearing fancy dress.

To become a guiser, men must have been born in the Allen Valleys.

Hexham Courant: Some of the Allendale guisers this yearSome of the Allendale guisers this year (Image: Jodie Nichol)At 11.30pm on New Years' Eve, the torches are lit and the barrels ignited. 

Each guiser lifts the flaming barrels up on to the top of their heads and falls in behind the band.

The guisers parade around the Market Square carrying flaming barrels, while hundreds of spectators look on.

Hexham Courant: Big turnout for the eventBig turnout for the event (Image: Jessica Davidson)

This year crowds saw characters includings Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Oompa Loompa.

Hexham Courant: Crowds welcomed the New Year watching the flamesCrowds welcomed the New Year watching the flames (Image: Jonathan Atkinson)