Canterbury Cathedral - one of the attractions in east Kent

Kent is in the running to host a UK City of Culture... but the area covered stretches beyond a city.

The area of east Kent is competing against 10 others across the UK for the 2017 title.

Kent's bid includes Canterbury, Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and Thanet.

It will compete against Aberdeen, Chester, Dundee, Hastings and Bexhill-on- Sea, Hull, Leicester, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, and Swansea Bay for the prestigious prize.

Announcing the nominees today, culture secretary Ed Vaizey said: “This is fantastic news and shows the appetite for the prestigious ‘City of Culture’ title is inhealthy supply right across the length and breadth of the country.

"The competition brings together communities and creates economic and social benefits and I am pleased to see so many local authorities and different partners coming together. I wish all 11 the best of luck.”

The nominees for 2017 UK City of Culture

The entrants have until April 30 to submit their initial bids, which will be considered by an independent advisory panel chaired by Phil Redmond.

The panel will then decide on a shortlist, to be announced in June.

The UK City of Culture award builds on the success of Liverpool being awarded the European Capital of Culture prize in 2008.

The White Cliffs of Dover play a key role in attracting visitors to Kent

In that year the city saw 9.7 million more visitors and brought in an extra £735 million from tourists.

The first city to be awarded the UK title is Derry for this year.

It's thought the title could mean the winning city hosting a number of key events, such as the Turner Prize, the Brit Awards, the Man Booker Prize and the Sterling Prize.