It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Dartford after the town’s festive lights were switched on.

The town centre has been decorated to help spread the Christmas spirit, with a large snowman and Christmas tree set up for visitors to enjoy as they start their festive shopping.

The switch-on saw a huge crowd gather in Brewery Square on Saturday evening, where this year’s Christmas tree can be found, to watch acts like Twist and Pulse, Shane Hampsheir and Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead.

On stage, the day was hosted by Milkshake! presenter David Ribi, whose television co-host Kiera Nicole also appeared, ahead of her performance in The Orchard Theatre’s pantomime this year.

The theatre’s choir and ukulele group also performed, along with local band Beer Pressure and a Dua Lipa tribute act.

Arts organisation Cohesion Plus also produced a Christmas-themed street festival which saw performances take place around Dartford town centre including the High Street, One Bell Corner and both the Orchard and Priory Shopping Centres.

Ahead of his performance in Fat Friends the Musical next year, BBC's Holby City actor Lee Mead arrived on stage to turn on the lights.

He was joined by Christmas Colouring Competition winners Jessica Salter, nine, and Tireni Adegbola, 11.

The mayor, Cllr Rosanna Currans, was also in attendance to oversee proceedings.

The acts included an acrobat, magician, unicyclist, human statue, brass band, stilt walkers and drumming Santas who all proved to be a huge hit with shoppers.

Following the celebration, Dartford council said they would like to thank the organisations who supported this year’s Big Christmas Switch On which included Orchards Shopping Centre, The Priory Shopping Centre, McDonald’s, The Orchard Theatre, Sainsbury's, Lollipops, Dartford Markets, Dartford Messenger, Aldi, Cohesion Plus and Wilko.