In pics: Lerwick warms up for the Up Helly Aa festival

Members of the Jarl Squad dressed in Viking suits on the galley after marching through the street in Lerwick. The festival culminates with up to 1,000 'guizers' (men in costume) throwing flaming torches into their Viking longboat and setting it alight later in the evening. (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

THOUSANDS of people have gathered for the world famous Up Helly Aa fire festival on Shetland.

The spectacle, which attracts visitors from around the globe, takes place in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January each year.

Hundreds of people wearing winged helmets, sheepskins and carrying axes and shields march through the streets of the town to recreate its ancient Viking past, in a tradition that dates back to the 19th century.

The procession is led by the Guizer Jarl, or chief guizer, – this year 37-year-old Lyall Gair – and culminates in a replica longboat being set alight.

Work begins at the end of October to ensure everything is ready for the celebrations, which often continue until 8am the following day – a public holiday on the island.

Volunteers are responsible for the building of the galley boat and the production of more than 1,000 torches.

Those taking part in the festival spend the night visiting a host of celebrations in halls around Lerwick, and the party is sure to be helped this year with special edition gin and cider distilled for the festival.

Shetland and neighbouring Orkney were ruled by the Norse for about 500 years until they became part of Scotland in 1468.

The festival stems from the 1870s when a group of young local men wanted to put new ideas into Shetland’s Christmas celebrations.