The heart of Rochester was swept up in soot over the Bank Holiday weekend as more than 1,000 morris dancers decked out as Victorian chimney sweeps descended on the town.

Visitors were as lucky as lucky can be to witness this year’s Sweeps Festival, which marks the day when sweeps would put down their brooms for a day of fun before summer arrived.

Festivities got underway at 10.45am on Saturday, with dancers gathering at the Guildhall Museum forecourt for a performance even Dick Van Dyke surely could not match.

Rochester Castle Gardens was also awash with colour thanks to live music, artisan food and drink stalls and a fun fair.

On a day which finally saw the sunshine emerge from behind the clouds, the selection of real ale and licensed bars was no doubt gratefully received.

High Street shoppers did not miss out on the fun either thanks to music stages and dancers, while the castle moat housed storytelling, barn dances and country dancing.

For festival coordinator Verne Sanderson, it has been another highly successful edition of the popular annual event.

Speaking from the Castle Gardens on Saturday afternoon, he said: “There is a lovely atmosphere about the place, a really lovely vibe.

“The weather has more than behaved itself, it is far warmer than we could have anticipated and has certainly brought the crowds out.

“I would say the turnout is ahead of the last couple of years, there are probably well more than 20,000 people here.

“People come for different reasons, either for a day out or because they love morris dancing or folk music.

“It is lovely to see a crowd of so many different ages just enjoying the music and the sunshine.”

Sunday is set to offer much of the same, although those who were really keen to embrace the historical authenticity of the festival congregated at Kits Coty in Blue Bell Hill for the Jack-in-the-Green awakening ceremony, where they welcomed in the summer at 5.32am.

Tthe festival goes out in style on Monday with a procession of sweeps making their way from Star Hill to the Castle Gardens.