Dover's first ever multiplex started showing films today.

The cinema's first screening, at 2pm, was of the superhero movie Black Panther.

The second was the romantic comedy-drama Finding Your Feet, from 2.45pm.

The six-screen cinema is the first part of the wider £53 million St James' retail and leisure development to open.

The first customer to buy a ticket to see Black Panther at the six-screen cinema was Val Ruthven, of North Street, Dover.

When asked if she thought she was making history she said: "If I'm the first person to see the first film I must be.

"I think the cinema is great. I used to go to the Ashford Cineword. I'm glad that Dover has got its own one now."

She said she would still continue to use this town's only cinema until now, the 77-seater Silver Screen near Market Square.

This cinema has 909 seats and its largest screen room has 237.

Dover District Council chairman Sue Chandler formally opened the multiplex, with a cutting of the ribbon, three-quarters of an hour before the the first screening.

With her was council leader Keith Morris who said: "I'm delighted to see Cineworld open at St James, and what a great cinema experience it offers. I'm booked for Sunday!

"The St James' development is the biggest investment in the town centre in a generation."

Dover Cineworld has 30 staff and Luke Admans as its manager.

He said today: "Today is very important, not just for Cineworld and myself but also for Dover as a town.

"This is quite historic."

Silver Screen opened in 1991 but by the late 1980s Dover had no cinema at all as television snatched away audiences.

Deal at present has no cinema since Flicks in Queen Street closed a decade ago.