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GV Confetti falling in street
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SV PAN Dancers in costume
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SV Men in masks and animal costumes (2 shots)
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SV Dancers in street
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SV Men in masks dancing
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SV Dancers in street (2 shots)
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SV People in animal costumes
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SV Masked men carrying coffin down street (3 shots)
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SV Coffin burning on bonfire (2 shots)
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Initials BB/1530 AMN/DK/BB/1540



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Hundreds of people dressed in carnival costume poured through the streets of the Hungarian town of Mohacs on Wednesday (3 March) during festivities to mark the end of winter.

The celebrations have pagan origins and are similar to the fasching festivities in some western European countries.

Dressed in masks and colourful and often sinister looking costumes, the people drive away the winter and welcome the spring, the regeneration of nature.

An important part of the ceremony is the dance "kolo" performed by the South-Slav dance group.

On Wednesday the celebrations culminated with the burning of a coffin on a large bonfire, said to bear the evil spirit of winter.

SYNOPSIS: The streets of the Hungarian town of Mohacs came to life on Wednesday with the culmination of festivities to mark the end of winter.

The celebrations have pagan origins and are similar to the fasching ceremonies in some western European countries.

Part of the tradition demands that a coffin bears the evil spirits of winter. The spirits are driven away to be replaced by spring, the regeneration of nature. At the end of the celebrations the coffin is burnt.