Flamboyant actor Brian Blessed launched a bus tour of Medway today - complete with his booming voice to guide visitors.

The 76-year-old star has provided a voiceover for a new open top bus tour of the Towns.

His much-loved tones - famous for their ability to project - will describe some of the most notable attractions as part of a pilot scheme run by Medway Council.

The tour will visit destinations including Rochester Castle and Cathedral, Fort Amherst, the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham Maritime, Dickens World, The Historic Dockyard Chatham and Eastgate House.

Passengers will hear about Medway's rich and varied history, and the all day, hop-on/ hop-off ticket will enable them to stop off wherever they choose as well as enjoying discounted entry at some local attractions.

Launching the tours today, Blessed said: "If you take this bus, I do feel passionately, it's almost like going to Mount Everest. Once you've been up there every cell in your body is changed - you'll never feel the same again. The Alps will look like pimples."

The voice-over has cost £4,000.

The bus tours will run on a trial basis from Saturday after Medway Council's best year for tourism, which saw around 470,000 visitors visiting the area.

The tours, which will depart hourly from 10am up until 5pm, will start and finish at the visitor information centre in Rochester and include costumed characters.

An adult ticket will cost £5.50, concessions £4.50 and children £3. A family ticket is priced at £13. These will be valid all day, meaning visitors will be able to hop on and off and explore attractions at their leisure.

Brian Blessed launches Medway's tourism bus