Sir Jimmy Savile and Scarborough mayor Cllr Janet Jefferson joined generations of families in the classic Shrove Tuesday tradition which has been running for more than 100 years.

Sir Jimmy, who had a skip with Cllr Jefferson, said: "It's an off the wall event. It's just a bit of fun and there isn't enough of that about today but Scarborough is leading the way."

Cllr Jefferson said: "It's a great community atmosphere when you see the length of the foreshore filled with children skipping.

"This is Scarborough's heritage and it's great for the schools to allow the children off.

"They will work even faster to catch up with their lessons."

Headteachers had been urged by members of Scarborough and District Civic Society to give children time off to keep the historic tradition alive.

Pam Atkinson, 43, of Newby Farm Crescent, took her 13-year-old son Tim out of Scalby school on a family holiday so he could enjoy the event while her nine-year-old son Luke was given the day off from Northstead School.

Mrs Atkinson said: "It's a good event that I have been doing since I was a child and it's always been good fun coming down with friends and family.

"It's a shame that all the schools aren't joining in the tradition."

Opposite the lifeboat house, Tania Canto, 19, of Caymer Road, enjoyed the festivities with the rest of her family using a skipping rope more than 20 years old.

Further down the road, Mark Mustoe, 40, of St John's Road, experienced his first skipping day with his children Tristan, six, and Savanna, 10, and was impressed with the turnout.

Virginia Dalby, who was with her daughter Zoe, 33, and eight-year-old granddaughter Chloe, thought the event was a wonderful Scarborough tradition.

Mrs Dalby, 60, of Prospect Road, said: "It has been going all of my life. There's a family atmosphere and brings everyone together, which is nice in this day and age."

John Mann, 46, of Britannia Street, who was with his wife Sharron and sons Joseph, 11, and Richard, eight, added: "It's a Scarborough tradition that will hopefully keep going on for years on end."