Chinese new year celebrations have kicked off in Maidstone with eastern influences filling the town centre this afternoon.

The event, organised to bring in the Year of the Goat, started at midday in Fremlin Walk and included a guest appearance from the town's mayor, Cllr Richard Thick.

Celebrations then spread to Jubilee Square and will continue until 4pm, with a separate event held at Kala Red in Middle Row this evening.

Shoppers were entertained as traditional dragons made their way through the busy streets accompanied by drummers.

While the new year, which was officially brought in on Thursday, is widely known as that of the goat, there is some disagreement between exactly what animal the Chinese character 'yang' represents.

The letter means horned animal, but this could refer to a sheep or ram.