Snow began to fall in Dartford on Saturday evening as the Christmas lights came on to mark the beginning of the festive season and Gravesend erupted in a celebration of music and dance.

The winner of Dartford's Christmas colouring competition, Olivia Moss, had the honour of pushing the plunger for the switch on.

In Gravesend singer Antony Costa, of boy band Blue fame, and the cast of this year’s Woodville panto joined thousands of people, including a parade of children holding lanterns they made themselves.

The 1,200-strong parade also had Christmas Mime Elves, Father Christmas and his helpers on stilts, Kent Samba band Bloco Fogo, the Crocodile Brass Band, the Black Knights and the Four by Four Dhol Drummers.

There was also a performance of Dancing Santas, combining bhangra and contemporary dance to the song Merry Christmas Everyone, which was performed by Four by Four Bhangra and 30 pupils from Saint George’s School.

In Dartford, Olympic athlete Adam Gemili, Orchard Theatre panto star Joe Pasquale, the Mayor and Mayoress of Dartford, John Burrell and Eija Burrell, and The Gruffalo were all joining in the festivities.

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