Crinolined ladies and frock coated gentlemen were out in force as warm sunshine greeted this year’s Broadstairs Dickens Festival.

The annual celebration of the life and work of Victorian author and journalist Charles Dickens, who frequently visited the town on annual holidays, began on Tuesday and ended on Sunday.

This was the first festival without Joyce Smith who died in February, a stalwart of many previous festivals and member of its organising committee for many years and the event’s programme featured her on its front cover in tribute.

From early in the week visitors were able to enjoy the rumbustious Victorian music hall held at Broadstairs Sailing Club in Harbour Street, each evening. Thursday saw the opening of a country fair in a large marquee in Victoria Gardens which continued until Sunday. Visitors were able to choose from a wide variety of arts, crafts and jewellery as souvenirs of the occasion.

Each of the main days began with a parade of costumed Dickensian characters processing from Balmoral Gardens to the bandstand on the seafront. Musical entertainment was provided here each day by different local schools including St Lawrence juniors, St Joseph’s primary, Upton county juniors, Birchington primary, St George’s and Bradstow. Weekend performances were given by BAE Systems Brass Band.

Other attractions included the festival play. Each year a different Dickens play is chosen for performance and this time it was Bleak House, dramatised and directed by Philip Shaw and performed each evening at the Broadstairs Pavilion. Over the weekend, local history fans were able to enjoy a display of old Broadstairs photos in the pavilion staged by Barrie Wooton, Bob Prett, Tony Euden and Brian Atkinson.

Big crowds turned out to watch an old time cricket match played on the lawns on Sunday afternoon - with regular interventions from Queen Victoria.

The festival was rounded off with a banquet at the pavilion.