A Scouts group determined to bring some festive joy to children in a village pulled out all the stops to bring forward its Santa parade before Kent was plunged into Tier 4.

Father Christmas drove around Coxheath in his magical light up sleigh waving at children beaming with excitement from their front gardens on Saturday evening, a day earlier than expected.

With the sudden announcement Kent would face tougher lockdown restrictions, with just a few hours notice, leaders did all they could to safely bring the celebrations forward.

Geoff Cooke, Group Scout leader at Coxheath Scouts Group, said: "It would have been wrong for us to still do it on the Sunday so after we heard the news we thought, either we do it tonight or we don't do it at all.

"Luckily most of the work to the sleigh had been done already and it was only a few last minute bits we needed to sort out.

"Before we set off we did say if it becomes unsafe and people are not able to distance we will have to stop, but everyone had their masks on and it went really well.

"The look on the kids faces made it worthwhile."

The group invited Santa to the village as part of its fundraiser for Maidstone Day Centre, a charity working hard to support homeless people and rough sleepers this winter.

Some £400 was raised on the night pushing the total to £800.

Santa's trip around the village was such a hit with residents, Coxheath Scouts Group have already invited him back to the village for another visit on its custom made sleigh next year.

To donate to the fundraiser, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone