Night at the museum for computer enthusiasts

professional and amateur computer programmers spent 28 hours at Leeds City Museum over the weekend to share ideas and create new digital applications.

The event, known as a hack day, hackathon or hackfest is for people interested in computer programming, software design, graphic design, application development to come together, play with data and see what they can come up with.

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: “Such events are gaining in popularity across the world, especially around the Silicon Valley area of California in the USA.”

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He said the hackfest was “the largest of its kind to be held in the north of England”.

Some hackathons are simply intended to be social events, although in some cases they aim to create software, or to improve existing programs.

The overnight event began on Saturday with organisers challenging anyone aged 14 and over to join together and work in groups over a 28-hour session to see what they could create using state-of-the-art technology.

It gave those taking part a chance to work alongside professional hackers and programmers from around the country.

Those taking part got a chance to spend 28 hours at Leeds City Museum – although they had the option of leaving and returning on Sunday if they did not wish to be at the museum overnight.