A branch of Burger King is giving away 1,000 whoppers to celebrate its opening.

The long-awaited drive-through at Hemsptead Valley Shopping Centre in Gillingham opened its doors on Thursday last week after being given the green light last year.

Medway Council initially refused permission for the restaurant over concerns about increased litter and congestion.

But those behind the bid from Burger King successfully appealed the decision.

Councillors were informed of the Planning Inspectorate's decision during a special meeting of the planning committee last September.

The inspectorate concluded the building's design would be in-keeping with the character of the mall and would not be harmful to the flow of traffic.

Additionally, it was not persuaded the plans would lead to more littering in the wider area.

The diner has been built next to the multi-storey car park attached to the centre's flagship Marks and Spencer store and it has created 44 jobs.

There was previously a Burger King inside Hempstead Valley as part of the food court which closed when the centre expanded to include TK Maxx in 2016.

Alasdair Murdoch, CEO of Burger King UK, said: "We know the people of Hempstead Valley love the great-tasting food of Burger King, so we’ve listened to their requests and are very excited to bring all their favourites to their neighbourhood."

To celebrate the opening, the branch is giving away 1,000 free whoppers on Wednesday. The plant-based whopper will also be available.

But Burger King fans will have to be quick if they want to get their hands on the free treat. The deal is first-come-first-served, and available exclusively via the click and collect service on the Burger King app.

Once in the app, customers have to select the Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre restaurant, and the offer will appear in the ‘offers’ tab to show to staff at the counter.