Hundreds of thousands of extra listeners in Kent can enjoy digital radio coverage after new transmitters were switched on.

Pupils at Sandgate Primary School, Folkestone, welcomed guests for the county’s official DAB radio switch-on this morning.

The ceremony was performed by Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins - who is also chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee - and Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital Radio UK, who pushed a big green button to mark the occasion.

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They were joined by kmfm presenters Garry Wilson and Laura Nevitt. BBC Kent and Heart Kent were also at the event.

The completion of DAB coverage in Kent means 800,000 more people in the county can tune in to kmfm using digital radio.

The launch of the final transmitter, at Turnpike Hill, Hythe, completes a programme of work to expand digital radio coverage to 95% of Kent households, doubling the number of listeners who can access local radio stations to 1.6 million.

KM Group chairman Geraldine Allinson said: “With our integrated multimedia portfolio, the KM Group is the premier media group in Kent, and we have evolved by supporting and developing in all areas of digital media.

"Digital distribution is integral to kmfm and I’m delighted that 800,000 more listeners in the county can now hear Kent’s biggest hits on DAB digital radio.”

Mr Collins said: “I am delighted that a further 800,000 listeners across Kent will now be able to hear these much-loved stations, which play such an important role in serving the local community, on digital radio.”

Sandgate primary head teacher Matt Green said: “The pupils have loved the big green switch and finding out more about digital radio.”

The new digital transmitters have been built by communications infrastructure company Arqiva and are part of an industry and government programme to build a further 182 local DAB transmitters.

The work is due to be completed by the end of this year, extending local DAB coverage to more than 91% of the population.

Mr Ennals said: “Digital radio is already very popular in Kent with 60% of homes having a digital radio and 47.5% of listening to digital so it’s great news that 800,000 more listeners will now be able to enjoy all their favourite local stations on DAB digital radio for the first time.”