“Bah Humbug Medway Council” and “no return to Dickensian conditions” were among posters at a protest at the Dickensian Christmas festival on Saturday.

Members of Medway Justice for Homeless People held the protest outside The Six Poor Travellers in Rochester High Street, before the Seven Poor Travellers’ procession which ends with the traditional carving of a turkey.

They then tried to catch the Mayor of Medway’s attention during the main procession.

They also shared their views vocally, telling people about their protest using a megaphone.

The group is calling on Medway Council to open up emergency shelters for homeless people.

They want the council to requisition abandoned buildings and convert them into emergency shelters with specialist support.

Chas Berry, from the group, said: “It was the first chance to make a real impact along the High Street. We had such a good response from people, but we did have some hostility from people in Dickensian costumes.

“We tried to call over the mayor, just to talk to him, but he looked the other way.

“At first people thought ‘who are these people?’ and ‘what’s it all about?’ with a bit of reticence but as it went on people came flooding up to us. We had a petition and we filled up 14 sheets.”

The group then met at the Huguenot Museum to discuss further campaigning.

Thousands of people turned out for Saturday and Sunday’s festival. A craft market and funfair in Rochester Castle gardens proved particularly popular.

Buses and Park and Ride were busy, with trains being replaced by buses as signalling works closed Rochester railway station.