Bristol in pictures: Images from around the city

MJ Ballooning took this incredible shot, capturing this time of year as hot air balloons start to return to the skies over the city

At any point, there are dozens of photographers out and about in Bristol capturing snapshots of life, from news to sport and live entertainment.

Here is a selection of images taken in the city over the past few days.

Changing of the seasons: People gathered at Bridge Farm in Stapleton on Sunday to celebrate Beltane, an ancient pagan ceremony which marks the start of summer and new beginnings. One of the rituals of the day was coal smudging, a way of blessing people as the year continues.

Cheers drive: A unique bus, painted by street artist Cheo, has begun making journeys from Bristol after being unveiled last week. People wanting to get a glimpse of the UP First Bus should keep an eye on the roads out to Yate and Thornbury.

It's here: Hit musical Hamilton has begun its lengthy run at the Bristol Hippodrome. The show features local boy Michael James Stewart, originally from the Southmead area of the city.

Calm in the chaos: Mounted police units were part of a huge emergency service response on Friday as a power outage led to a critical incident at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in the city centre, and multiple nearby roads had to be closed.

Celebration time: Green Party members savour the moment as the party became the largest group on Bristol City Council, their margin of victory (34 councillors out of 70) announced at a school hall in Brislington on Friday.

Fabulous at 40: A series of events to mark the 40th anniversary of unique floating Bristol venue Thekla have begun. Five nights of live music coincided with the release of a new book (above) telling the stories of the once-forgotten vessel that is now at the heart of Bristol's city centre nightlife.

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