A SWATHE of light illuminated Margate town centre as the annual lantern parade took to the streets. Schoolchildren had spent weeks creating lanterns of all shapes and sizes, from the giant mermaid of Hartsdown Technology College to the smaller lantern created painstakingly by younger children.

Isle of Thanet Arts group, which jointly stage the parade with Thanet council, worked with the youngsters to create more than 250 star-shaped lanterns.

The lanterns formed three ‘boats’ on a journey to the lost island of Lomea, a mythical land that is reputed to have disappeared off the coast of Thanet in the eighth century. The Wishing Star parade gathered at the old town Market Place, moved up the High Street before gathering on the green at Hawley Square.

Street bands Busker Du and Saneko, and Thanet Youth Music’s Junk Chariot accompanied the marchers who braved the cold.