The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has been hailed a huge success with thousands of people attending the six day event.

Performers from all over the world took to the pavilion's stage after opening the 56th annual festival with a colourful parade through the towns streets.

Shopkeeper Dermot Kay will still accept euros

The festival has become known for its international flavour, but this year the money being used was also European.

For the first time since it began in 1947, many retailers accepted the euro along with the British pound.

The scheme was the idea of Clwyd South MP, Martyn Jones.

He said it had proved a big success: "Attendances at the Eisteddfod are up and businesses in Llangollen have profited greatly as a result.

Thousands of people watched the Pavilion's concerts

"By any measure, last week was a triumph for the town.

Other cities throughout the UK have looked at the experiment in Llangollen and tourist chiefs in Edinburgh are now considering a similar scheme.

Mr Jones added: "The message from Llangollen is simple - the sky will not fall down as a consequence of accepting the euro."

Many traders in the town accepted the currency and will continue to do so now the festival is over.

Sell out crowd

Dermot Kay, runs Craftsman's Halt in Llangollen.

"All the shops that took part have been very positive about it," he said.

Mr Kay added: "We weren't inundated but people were using euros and we'll continue to accept them."

Away from the town, opera soprano Lesley Garrett topped the bill at Sunday's gala concert, performing before a crowd of 4,500 people.

Llangollen is now getting back to normal

This was the festival's second sell out concert following the success of Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Tuesday.

The demand was so great for tickets that organisers arranged for small plasma screens to be located on the Eisteddfod field.

Gwyn L Williams, the Festival's Chief Executive said: "The Eisteddfod field was a hive of activity.

"A great many people came along to experience the concert from outside the pavilion.

"This has been an absolutely cracking way to end the 2002 festival," he added.