Three days of festivities to mark St George's Day will kick off today in Maidstone.

At 1.45pm schoolchildren from across the town will parade through Week Street and Earl Street, before amassing in Brenchley Gardens for a flag-raising ceremony.

The schools taking part are West Borough, St Francis, St Michaels, Archbishop Courtenay and Hollingbourne.

There will be a medieval fayre in Brenchley Gardens on both Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm both days, plus Celtic style folk rock music on the bandstand on Saturday and a mechanical fire breathing dragon and robotic horse will perform there on Sunday.

A traditional Scouts parade will also take place through the town centre on Sunday.

The events, organised by Maidstone council, Town Centre Management and the North West Racial Equality Council, and supported by the Kent Messenger and Kent County Council, are some of the biggest celebrations for the patriotic festival the town has seen for some years.