Spectators will be able to grab a jab at a seaside carnival this weekend.

A Covid-19 vaccination bus will be at The Spinney in Leysdown, Sheppey, from 12pm to 4pm on Saturday as the coastal village's annual carnival parade gets underway.

Those aged over 18 years old will be able to hop aboard the vaccination bus to grab their first or second coronavirus jabs.

Leysdown Carnival is returning this year after the parade was cancelled in 2020 – for the first time in its 42-year history – due to the pandemic, and organisers hope it will be “bigger and more spectacular” than before.

The event, held every summer, regularly draws thousands of people to the eastern end of the Island, with streets heaving as residents, holidaymakers and visitors watch the festivities and soak up the atmosphere.

Mary Culver, one of the organisers, said the team behind the event was hoping to put smiles on people's faces once again.

She said: "Cancelling last year’s carnival was sad, but we're hoping the absence will have made hearts grow fonder.

"After such a weird and difficult time over the past 18 months or so, we really hope we can bring a smile to everybody's face."

Leysdown's traditional carnival parade will start at 2pm on Saturday, with lorries, floats, bands and carnival queens.

The procession will go from Little Groves holiday park to the promenade and back, and the parade will be accompanied by stalls on The Spinney.

There will also be a free return bus service that will pick up carnival-lovers from Sheerness bus station at 11.30am and make a stop in The Broadway, Minster.

Mary added: "There's always room for more volunteers on the day if anyone wants to help."

For more or to get involved, call Mary on 07801 578883 or visit the ‘Leysdown Carnival Team 2021’ Facebook page.

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey