Stalking through foot-high grass is Spike the metal dinosaur... draped with Union flags and ridden by a cuddly corgi.

Kent's gone Jubilee crazy and the Iguanodon, which guards the junction of the A20 and New Cut Road in Maidstone, is no exception.

Spike is a tribute to the discovery of a fossilised skeleton unearthed in 1834 in the Queens’ Road area of the town, which also features on the borough's coat of arms.

But 187 years since its remains were dug up the long-extinct monster is paying its - for it remains unclear what gender Spike (also known as Iggy) was - respects to The Queen.

Spike was unveiled in July 2020 but since then has been dressed in South African rugby kit after they won the world cup, draped in a Ukrainian flag and been given a little pumpkin bucket for Halloween.

But Spike's not the only patriotic animal donning red, white and blue as the long Jubilee weekend begins.

At The Strand open-air poll in Gillingham an elephant-shaped slide is looking particularly regal.

Bosses at the lido say they're hoping the weather improves for the long weekend, with slots available to book from 10.30am to 5.30pm from Thursday to Sunday.

At the moment we're set to see sunshine today and tomorrow and showers over the weekend.

Down the road from The Strand at the empty Mountbatten House in Chatham, 19 volunteers have covered 250 windows with black out sheets and 1,232 pieces of purple tissue paper in order to create a giant E II R 70.

The Royal Cypher will be lit up above the Pentagon shopping centre until Thursday, June 9 as part of the Jubilee Windows Project.

Tissue paper is a novel decoration with which to pay tribute, but elsewhere there's bunting - lots and lots of bunting.

In fact, so many tiny flags have been purchased that there's a nationwide shortage.

One place which has seemingly been more to blame for that than most is Headcorn.

Patriotic residents have festooned every inch of the village.

Headcorn is hosting at least one street party which was fully booked a month in advance.

It's one of 45 to apply for permits in Maidstone, which places the borough in the middle of a league table of` patriotism - Tonbridge and Malling will host 84.

If Tonbridge and Malling is pushing the boat out Rochester isn't rolling over, with the high street awash with colour.

The Queen Charlotte, which was run by a German spy in the early 1900s and is named after the consort of George III, has not one Union flag but six - and more out back.

Get Ready Comics is getting in on the act but has branched out (sorry) with four Jubilee-themed trees planted outside.

Lettings company RedDoor Homes has a window display looking back at the 96-year-old monarch's record reign, with four portraits adorning their facade and 'REDDOOR REIGNS OVER ROCHESTER' stencilled above.

In nearby Rainham residents of Langdale Close think their street is the best dressed in the Medway Towns.

Bunting is hung from everywhere that will have it and dozens of them spent Saturday celebrating the Jubilee at a street party.

Faversham Gunpowder WI take the crown for creativity with these fabulous post box toppers.

A knitted Buckingham Palace is appropriately stationed in The Mall, Court Street has a tribute the The Queen's 1953 coronation, you can find Her Majesty with her beloved corgis in North Lane and a Jubilee picnic scene at the post office.

There's also a giant quilted crown secured to The Guildhall and knitted bunting hung from railings.

Meanwhile this house in Monkton, near Thanet, stakes a claim to the title of most regal end-of-terrace in the county.

There's flags, flags and more flags while a large bush wears a crown.

After taking in all of that, gorging on sponge cake and glugging fizz you'll want a sit down - and what better place than the most regal of all benches in Park Mall, Ashford.

Targeted by arsonists the decorative seat was restored and now looks fit for a Queen.

The first big day of Platinum Jubilee celebrations will end on Thursday evening with the lighting of thousands of beacons across both the UK and the Commonwealth.

KentOnline has compiled an interactive map with the details of where you can see each beacon after it is lit at 9.45pm.

The evening ceremonies will also mark the first major event of the four-day bank holiday weekend that communities can join in with.

Thursday is a day of pomp and pageantry with the Queen's birthday parade and Trooping The Colour in central London followed by the RAF fly-past at 1pm and a much-anticipated appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony by some members of the Royal Family and possibly The Queen herself.

But it is the lighting of Jubilee beacons on Thursday night that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to local village greens, community spaces and town centre recreation grounds.

More than 1,500 beacons are expected to be lit in the UK meaning that there is sure to be a ceremony happening near you.

Organisers will light a mixture of gas fuelled beacons, braziers or even construct bonfire beacons at other local focal points.

Committees were given the choice this year of either purchasing a new beacon kit designed specifically for the Platinum Jubilee or bringing back to life a beacon or brazier that may have been constructed for a previous national celebration.

All beacons will be lit at the same time - 9.45pm - while a principle beacon is also expected to be set alight during an official ceremony at Buckingham Palace to end the first day of national events.

Faith leaders say the simultaneous lighting of beacons across the Commonwealth will be a powerful symbol of celebration.

Archbishop Justin Welby is encouraging people to sing the “Song for the Commonwealth” as the beacons are lit to celebrate the monarch's 70-year reign. He said: "This will be a moment of remarkable celebration, as we join together across different generations, denominations, faiths and communities all over the world in proper tribute to Her Majesty the Queen.

"My prayer is that this might be a chance to truly celebrate Her Majesty’s historic 70 years of service to her country and the Commonwealth, reaching out in friendship, and building community as we are reminded of our common bond under the Crown."

His words have been echoed by Chief Rabbi Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, who said: “The kindling of the Queen’s Jubilee Beacons throughout the United Kingdom and the capital cities of the Commonwealth will be a most powerful symbol as we celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 remarkable years on the throne.

“In Jewish tradition, the lighting of a flame accompanies many of our most important religious observances, representing the point at which the material and sacred meet.

“The fragile flame conveys the profound lesson that spirituality cannot manifest in the world if we do not cultivate and protect it.”

Plenty of other community events will be held over the long weekend and details of those can be found here.

The celebrations mark The Queen's 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

She became the first monarch to reach the milestone on February 6, the 70th anniversary of her father, King George VI's, death.

As well as the beacon lighting there will be a Service of Thanksgiving held at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, will be rung.

On Saturday Her Majesty, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs.

There will also be a Platinum Party at the Palace.

Hosts Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp will lead live coverage of the Platinum Party at the Palace which airs live on BBC One, with artists including Rod Stewart and George Ezra performing.

A total of 22,000 people will attend the event including 10,000 allocated in a public ballot and 5,000 tickets for key workers.

On Sunday The Big Jubilee Lunch will be held, with more than 60,000 people registering to host parties, with events ranging from world record attempts for the longest street party to back garden BBQs.

More than 10 million people across the UK are expected to be joining the celebrations.

People across the world are also joining in with more than 600 international Big Jubilee Lunches planned throughout the Commonwealth and beyond - from Canada to Brazil, New Zealand to Japan and South Africa to Switzerland.

Sunday will also see the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, where the gold state carriage, led by The Sovereign’s Escort, bringing to life iconic moments from The Queen’s reign as well as showcasing how society has changed over the past 70 years.

Some 10,000 people are involved, including the military, more than 6,000 volunteers, performers, key workers and 2,500 members of the general public.