Events and ceremonies are being held across the county this weekend as Kent salutes our serving forces.

If you fancy getting up close to military hardware including tanks, guns and a helicopter, boys’ toys with a difference will be on display at the Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham.

Armed Forces Day starts at 11am at Garrison No 2 ground and will include a 500-strong parade at 12.30pm.

The day will also see bandstand concerts, a naval forces display area, a funfair, stalls and other activities.

Visitors can get hands on with earth moving equipment, heavy transport trucks, armoured vehicles, a battlefield ambulance and fire engines.

In the Royal Engineers Trade Village many of the skills taught to young Royal Engineers in Brompton Barracks will be demonstrated, again with opportunities for visitors to try their hand.

Also in the RE Trade Village will be the ever popular Divers Tank plus troops from the airborne and commando arms of the Royal Engineers.

A special display this year is provided by the Gurkhas of 69 Squadron based in Maidstone, but once based in Chatham’s Kitchener Barracks.

There will be a programme of demonstrations and entertainment in the main arena and at the bandstand where music will be provided by the BAE Band and the popular Swingtime Sweethearts singing duo.

Features in the main arena will include the Royal Engineers inter-troop bridge building competition, the Ferret armoured car display and the arrival of the Waterloo Dispatch, fresh from its recent appointment in London with the Princess Royal.

The day will end with Beating Retreat by the Royal Engineers’ Band, starting at 5pm, followed by the flypast departure of the Gazelle Squadron helicopters.

Folkestone

Folkestone will see live performances on the bandstand today and static displays will take place from noon throughout the afternoon.

The Shorncliffe Military Wives Choir and The Tigers – the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment parachute team based in Canterbury – will join cadet bands from the Army, Air and Sea Cadets.

Veterans joined a ceremonial flag-raising at the Civic Centre in Folkestone on Monday.

Canterbury

At 10pm Armed Forces Day - formerly known as Veterans Day - will be marked by the raising of a flag by the Lord Mayor outside Canterbury fire station, which veterans and the public are invited to attend.

Deal

Armed Forces Day will be marked in Deal with a flag raising at the town hall on Saturday, June 27, followed by a drumhead service the next day.

The national event will be heralded with ceremonies across the country, and the Deal flag will be hoisted as a show of support at 10.30am on the Saturday.

The Mayor of Deal and the chairman of Dover District Council will attend the drumhead service, which starts at the apron of Deal Pier at 10.50am.

The event will be followed by a parade, organised by Deal Veterans Association and The Royal British Legion.