LEEDS Castle's promenade concert series begins at the end of June with the first of five open-air musical events.

The castle, near Maidstone, will play host to thousands of promenaders on Saturday, June 29, for the first of two concerts featuring the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Brighton Festival Chorus and soloists Claire Rutter (soprano) and Evan Bowers (tenor).

The Last Night of the Proms-style concert, which is repeated on Saturday July 6, will include popular orchestral and choral works including Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, Barber's Adagio Agnus Dei and Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1.

The programme also has an American flavour with excerpts from Bernstein's West Side Story and Souza's Stars and Stripes Forever.

Both concerts begin at 8pm and will end with a fireworks display set to music.

Youngsters will then take over the castle's lawns on Wednesday, July 3, for two Children's Proms.

The concerts, which take place at 12.30pm and 6pm, have a television and film music theme and will include the Harry Potter film sound track. Both concerts will end with a fireworks display.

Picnics, Pimms and white tie and tails will be the order of the day on Thursday July 4 at the castle's first open-air dance-cum-swing concert.

The Pasadena Roof Orchestra will lead the 1920s and 30s-themed Independence Day concert, which begins at 7pm.

Tickets for all of the concerts must be bought in advance online at www.leeds-castle.com or from the Leeds Castle Concert booking office on 01622 765400.