Volleyball players returned to Lowestoft's seafront for their annual beach tournament.

Eastern Daily Press: Lowestoft’s annual beach volleyball tournament on South beach.July 2016.Picture: James BassLowestoft’s annual beach volleyball tournament on South beach.July 2016.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2016)

The event has been organised by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) laboratory in Pakefield for the past 20 years.

This year was one of its most popular ever, with 120 players across 40 beginner, intermediate and advanced-level teams battling it out in a series of round robin tournaments - and even braving the showers at lunchtime to continue playing.

This year's event, held on the town's South Beach, was also part of the Lowestoft Summer Festival.

Thi Bolam, one of the organisers of the event from Cefas who also played for the Coasters and Norwich Spikers teams, said: 'It's a nice, friendly tournament and everyone has a lot of fun.

Asked whether the tournament helped to encourage people to the beach, she said: 'I think it has a very positive effect. Some people don't realise how nice the beach is sometimes.'