Fireworks to mark the Christmas lights switch-on at the Ashford Designer Outlet may have looked spectacular but they have sparked anger from across the town.

The bangs were heard all over the area - including South Willesborough, Newtown, Singleton, Kingsnorth and the town centre.

The display, where fireworks exploded into the shape of letters, started at 8pm on Thursday at an event where Kent’s only Beijing Olympic gold medallist Jamie Staff, who is from Brabourne Lees, turned on the lights.

Jean Howker who lives in Magazine Road, close to the town centre, said: “I went all through the war as a kid and we never had anything so loud as this.”

Mrs Howker, who is 74, said her two dogs were petrified by the bangs on Thursday whereas they did not flinch at the fireworks let off around Bonfire Night earlier this month.

Mrs Howker also feels the advertisements announcing the event were inadequate.

No one from Ashford Designer Outlet was available for comment.

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