Characters from the pages of Charles Dickens’s great stories jump off the page and onto the streets of Rochester this weekend as the town becomes a Victorian winter wonderland.

The annual Dickensian Christmas Festival will transform the area in a traditional way, celebrating the work and times of the author, who used it as inspiration for many of his stories.

And the odds of it being a white Dickensian Christmas are guaranteed as there will be snow machines to provide the festive covering.

Running on Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3 between 10am and 5pm both days, Victorian delights include fictional characters, stalls, reindeer and parades.

The event, which attracts thousands to Rochester, includes a main parade at noon from Almon Place both days and an atmospheric candle-lit parade at 4.45pm.

There will also be an open air carol concert featuring the BAE Systems Brass Band to round off the festivities each day.

Part of the festivities will be the Rochester Christmas Market in the castle gardens which runs from 10am to 7pm both days.

For details of all entertainment, and travel options, visit new.medway.gov.uk.