More than 1,000 kites have filled the skies above a coastal city in eastern China that touts itself as the “kite capital of the world”.

Locals say there is nothing that cannot sail in the air in Weifang.

Modern craftsmanship means kite-makers are boasting more elaborate, complex and bigger designs.

Thousands of people take part in the festival, and some kites are so big they need more than one person to hold the string.

Kite-makers say the craftsmanship has evolved over hundreds of years, with nylon fabrics becoming more common at the expense of traditional materials such as paper and silk.