The Hebridean Celtic Festival has effectively sold a fifth of its tickets for this year's event in just five days. Bookings have come from Australia, USA, Canada and a number of countries from around Europe.

The festival, which attracts 16,000 people to Stornoway each year and over £1 million into the local economy, opened for bookings by telephone and online on Monday May 1st and in the first five days sold almost 20% of its full capacity.

The rush for bookings extended to other events the festival is staging from 12-15th July with almost 40% of capacity already sold for shows based in An Lanntair, the local arts centre.

Festival Director Caroline MacLennan said: "Yet again our festival-goers are showing fantastic enthusiasm for the event. Over half of our bookings are from people who are off-island and the interest from across the world is extremely high.

"We are on course for a sell-out again and we urge people to book early, especially all those who missed out last year because they left booking till too late. It seems we will also be heading for a total sell-out of local accommodation again so we urge anyone who may have extra space during the festival to contact the local tourism office and register any availability.

"We are very excited about this year's event as always and this superb start should augur well for another successful Hebridean Celtic Festival."

There will be a host of acts appearing, including the Levellers; Hothouse Flowers; Afro Celt Sound System; BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners Julie Fowlis and Bodega; as well as Blazin' Fiddles, Dòchas, Màiri Smith, Alyth McCormack and others. Mauvais Sort from Quebec will also be performing.

www.hebceltfest.com