A crowd of hundreds armed with water bombs couldn't stop the Sheppey Pirates from taking control of the Island.

The group held its annual festival at Barton’s Point Coastal Park, Marine Parade, Sheerness, on Saturday and Sunday.

There was plenty to keep the audience enthralled including a fancy-dress parade and sword fighting demonstrations.

Musket and canon firing also took place and there was a visit from the pirates from across the sea in Essex and the Sky Pirates from steam punk group Great Kent Expectations.

Water-jousting, a tug-of-war competition and children’s games led by the JR King of Juggernaut Roadshow also kept up the entertainment.

During Saturday evening there was plenty of live music from artists who all performed for free.

These included piratical acoustic singer Tom Mason from Nashville, USA, indie rock trio Tom, Mike and Paul, rock trio Shameful Behaviour, covers band Signals Red and Sheppey Rolling Stones tribute act Stoned who closed the show.

There was also a fireball show by Skavenger (June Collins) and even some fire-eating by Steve Fisher.

On Sunday, the pirates once again took control of the Island.

They successfully landed after rowing ashore, despite a barrage of water bombs being thrown at them by the waiting youngsters.

Donations and a raffle raised funds for the RNLI.

For more photos, see this week's Sheerness Times Guardian - out Wednesday.