The Spanish town of Buñol was transformed into a sea of red on Wednesday as thousands of people took part in this year's La Tomatina, the world-famous tomato-throwing festival that has become a major international tourist attraction.
Up to 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes were used during the event, with trucks loaded with the fruit making their way through crowded streets as participants hurled tomatoes at one another.
People riding on the trucks threw tomatoes into the crowd and, within minutes, participants' white T-shirts had turned shades of pink and red while American pop music blasted from loudspeakers.
At one point during the event, police officers were reportedly seen using pepper spray to move people away from a specific area. The incident was brief and the festive atmosphere quickly resumed.
More than an hour of tomato throwing
According to the Associated Press, the chaotic tomato battle lasts for more than an hour.
Before the event begins, buildings throughout the town are covered with protective tarpaulins to minimise damage and staining.
La Tomatina takes place every year on the last Wednesday of August and traces its origins to an impromptu food fight that broke out in 1945.
Over time, it evolved into an annual tradition before being banned in the 1950s under the regime of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
Widespread television coverage during the 1980s helped transform the event into a national attraction and eventually an internationally recognised tourist spectacle.
More than 20,000 participants
Organisers expected more than 20,000 people to take part in this year's festival.
According to Spanish news agency EFE, around 40% of participants over the past three years have been tourists from outside Spain.
Similar tomato-throwing events have also been staged in Florida, London, Amsterdam, Sutamarchán in Colombia and Hyderabad in India.
Visitors who are not local residents pay an admission fee of €15 to participate.
