Dartmouth saw in a trouble-free New Year in style as fancy dress revellers hit the town to welcome 2013.

Pirates, Smurfs and a whole lot of Olympic-themed outfits were among the fancy dress get up which has helped earn the town its reputation for being the place to be to see in New Year.

But the number of people in the town for this year's celebrations is thought to be down on previous years.

And that could be an economic concern for local businesses, Royal Castle Hotel owner Nigel Way has warned.

'Dartmouth is not the place it used to be to come for New Year's Eve,' he said. 'It is an important part of the Dartmouth calendar. Just like the music festival and the regatta, it is important for the town, the shops and everybody else.'

Mr Way, who is chairman of the town's tourist information centre, also criticised some shops for not bothering to open on New Year's Day to take advantage of the holiday visitors.

For more on this story, plus pictures, see this week's Chronicle