STREET parties, parades and a symbolic linking of hands marked a 300th anniversary in Gibraltar on Wednesday. Kent Messenger Group chairman Edwin Boorman was among the Kent people who joined the celebrations.

"This is a great day for Gibraltar and a great day for Britain. I am glad to be here."

Those were the words of Folkestone and Hythe MP Michael Howard, the Conservative Party leader, who broke his holiday in Crete to join the celebration of 300 years of British sovereignty over The Rock on Wednesday.

In the first minutes of the day ships sirens sounded as fireworks exploded across Gibraltar Bay to start the Tercentenary celebrations.

Many Kent holidaymakers were there to join with the locals as they celebrated the day with great enthusiasm. About 14,000, dressed in red, linked hands and circled The Rock.

Gibraltar was captured on August 4, 1704, and handed over by the Spanish in 1713.

The Spanish want it back. The people of Gibraltar do not want this to happen. The British Government, which needs Spanish support, is embarassed.

Mr Howard and Defence Minister Geoff Hoon were joined by many others for the celebrations, including former Church of England envoy Terry Waite, now a supporter of many Kent charities.

We who live in Kent, particularly naval servicemen and ex-servicemen, will remember that Gibraltar was the only place in Continental Europe which stood for freedom and democracy in the Second World War.

Mr Waite, who was applauded by the crowds wherever he went, said for that and many other reasons Britain should listen carefully to the democratic wish of the Gibraltarians.

The Royal Navy, which has been present on The Rock every day for 300 years, was granted the Freedom of Gibraltar, the highest honour Gibraltar can grant.