THE first ever international kite festival at Margate was a high flying success for the town with around 15,000 spectators turning their eyes to the skies.

They saw a vast and colourful array of exotic kites and stunning inflatables parade jauntily against the clear blue skies above the Palm Bay recreation site at Cliftonville on Saturday and Sunday.

Among the star attractions were the world’s largest red-headed mermaid, pirates, whales and sharks, a cherub, purple octopuss and a giant lizard.

Organised as a joint venture between Margate Town Partnership and the The Kite Society of Great Britian, the two-day Big Sky International Kite Festival attracted three times more people than estimated.

Town Partnership co-ordinator Dave Kinnear was thrilled.

He said: "Interest was unbelieveable and people were really wowed with what they saw. Despite it being not quite windy enough on Saturday and a little blustery on Sunday, around 90 per cent of the kites took to the air.

"Given the poor weather we have had this summer, we were a little bit wary of staging an outdoot two-day festival but we were so lucky.

"Many of the fliers have asked to come back next year and we are already working on the 2008 event."

Enthusiasts from Holland, Italy, France, Belgium and Spain joined their British counterparts to show their aerial skills, while a range of workshops, stalls and a wind garden were among the land-based attractions.