ABOUT 50 of Kent's leading sportsmen and women were in Maidstone to celebrate Sport England's move into in the county.

Cricketers, martial artists, motor racers and athletics champions from across the county cut through 50 ribbons to open the new office at Colman House in King Street.

Its new Maidstone base will allow Sport England to focus more on sport and leisure throughout Kent - with the possibility of distributing more Lottery cash in the county.

Senior development manager Padraig Herlihy said: "Sport England has already been working with many sporting projects in Kent.

Now we want to get closer to the people we have been working with - to help them develop more sporting opportunities for young and old in the county."