The Kent population has been urged to treat this weekend's bank holiday celebration as an "extraordinary event" which will likely never be repeated.

The Lord Lieutenant of the county, Lady Bella Colgrain, is encouraging everyone to "go out and have the most wonderful time" marking the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

Kent Lord Lieutenant Lady Bella Colgrain discusses the jubilee weekend

Street parties, fetes and bandstand performances are among the host of events taking place in Kent.

Lady Colgrain - who is Her Majesty's representative in Kent - will be at today's thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral.

She is confident Kent can "excel" with its own celebrations and put on a fine display for the Platinum Jubilee.

"I want everybody to go out and have the most wonderful time," she said.

"I think it's important that young people should get involved and be aware of what the Queen has done.

"It will be a fantastic memory. Their grandchildren will be able to say 'my grandmother was at the Platinum Jubilee for the Queen who was 96 years old'.

"There are going to be so many parties on," Lady Colgrain said.

"I think Kent is going to excel, there are more than 600 roads closed for street parties.

"The mood has suddenly lifted.

"I don't think we will ever see a jubilee again.

"I have a three-week-old grandchild and I doubt whether he will even see a jubilee in his lifetime. Maybe he will see a silver jubilee, but this is an extraordinary event."

From today until Sunday, Kent will be bursting at the seams with street parties galore.

Proms, concerts, carnivals and fetes will celebrate the Queen's historic 70 years on the throne.

Lady Colgrain added: "It's going to be a fantastic weekend. It looks like it's going to wonderful sunny weather.

"She's the longest reigning monarch in over 1,000 years of British history, so it's important for the young people to be involved.

"We've been locked down for so long - this will be the first chance for them to have a really great party.

"I feel proud to be her representative in Kent. It's wonderful going round and seeing how much I'm welcomed as her representative.

"The Queen has spent the last 70 years basically going out and thanking everyone for the wonderful things they do.

"Now this is our opportunity to say 'thank you' to her for everything that she has done throughout her life.

"I think the Queen thinks she is just doing a normal day's work. She dedicated her life to the service of this country when she was 21 years old.

"I think she doesn't really, in her private life, go for much pomp and ceremony but I think she'll recognise how wonderful it is for everybody to have a party - especially after coming through a tough two years.

"There are very few people around the world who haven't been aware of the Queen in their lifetime. She's been a constant for everybody and a wonderfully unifying force.

"She's reached out to all the countries globally - not just the Commonwealth."