Back to the '80s as Belfast welcomes dozens of DeLorean homebirds

A flock of gull-wing DeLoreans descended on Stormont on Thursday

Seventy DeLorean cars made famous by the Back To The Future movies cruised through Belfast on Thursday.

And more of the striking stainless steel cars, with their distinctive gull-wing doors, are expected to arrive for the four-day DeLorean Eurofest in the city this weekend.

This well-travelled DeLorean has returned to the city of its birth

Among the owners who drove to Stormont were three Germans who ended an around-the-world DeLorean drive in the city.

DeLorean cars were built in west Belfast at the start of the 1980s.

Even DeLoreans can fall victim to the Belfast traffic jam

Controversial US industrialist John DeLorean brought his manufacturing plant to Dunmurry in the city with the lure of significant government financial support.

When the first Back To The Future film starring Michael J Fox was released in 1985, the DeLorean plant had already been closed for three years.

The distinctive DeLorean car found fame after its appearance in the Back To The Future films

More than 250 owners and enthusiasts from 18 countries are expected in Belfast to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the cars first rolling off the production line.

Ronald Ferguson, the president of the DeLorean Owners Association, said the gathering was "testament to the high regard in which this city and the people who created this wonderful sports car are held".

He added: "We have owners driving their cars from as far away as Hungary all so that they can say they celebrated the 35th anniversary in Belfast."