Words, music and a splash of star quality

Bath was filled with famous faces as big names came to the city to delight thousands of their fans for Bath Festivals' celebration of music and books.

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Festival season opened with Party in the City, a massive evening of free music in dozens of venues, which attracted thousands of locals and visitors to Bath city centre.

Ruth Jones, of Gavin and Stacey fame, comedians David Baddiel and Ivo Graham, the Rev Richard Coles, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Countdown's Susie Dent, gardener Carol Klein and broadcasters Jeremy Vine and Reeta Chakrabarti were among the well-known faces appearing at Bath Literature Festival.

World renowned musicians, pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason and classical guitar-ist Sean Shibe were among the visiting artists at the Bath Music Festival.

Over nine days in May, Bath Literature Festival and Bath Music Festival played host to internationally acclaimed authors and musicians, including Booker Prize winner Sir Ben Okri, Booker-nominee German author Daniel Kehlmann, veteran journalist Max Hastings, cellist Guy Johnston who performed an extraordinary trio of concerts, playing all of Bach's cello suites and Stile Antico, making a welcome return to the city.

Many sell-out events included The Salt Path author Raynor Winn, naturalist Robert Macfarlane, actor Martin Clunes and American writer Lionel Shriver.