Hundreds of fans lined Margate seafront on Monday in the hope of bagging one of the 100 free tickets to the new Hi-Tide festival at Dreamland.

Music legends Suggs from Madness and Fatboy Slim, who are headlining the event in July, handed out tickets - and ice cream - to those lucky enough to make the first 100 in the queue.

Fatboy Slim and Suggs giving away tickets and ice cream

The major two-day festival, by those behind the hugely successful Demon Dayz event in 2017, is expected to bring in 15,000 across July 4 and 5 weekend.

Some people queued for hours in the hope of bagging free tickets, with superfan Dodi Fenton and her daughter getting their hands on two.

The 77-year-old said: "We're absolutely made up. I'm a big fan - I'm sure I'm the oldest in the queue.

"Madness are brilliant. I had a factory and they used to rent the ground floor. I told him that today, but he didn't remember."

Andy Smithson and Lauren Davey were the first in line to get tickets.

"We were the first ones here, first tickets - happy days," said Mr Smithson.

Speaking at the theme park, Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, said: "I thought performing at a vintage theme park was on my bucket and spade list.

"There are certain things you do this end of our careers where you think 'why didn't we think of this before?'"

He says he thinks the event will have a nice mix of fans who have travelled to see them, and locals.

"This area of the country doesn't get served so much with the bigger gigs," he said.

"I like the idea that all the locals come out, whether or not they're actually fans or not."

Suggs added: "You might get people saying 'the sun's shining, this will be a great weekend, whether I love either of those bands, it's going to be fun' - and of course it will be.

"We do so many festivals and of course I love my hardcore fans, but I also love the idea of people taking a chance on you and enjoying it. It's really rewarding."

He says Margate is the perfect place for an event like Hi-Tide.

"To think about the sort of music Norman's been making all these years and us, there are a lot of parallels - people having a good time, people wanting to be entertained with dancing and singing and letting themselves go, and what better place than in Margate."

For those who missed out today, all's not lost - there is still an hour, from 12.30-1.30pm, to purchase one a full two weeks before tickets go on sale to the general public.

The supporting bill is expected to be announced next week.

Tickets - ranging in price from £72.50 for one day to £130 for the whole weekend - are set to go on sale at 9am on Friday, January 31.

For tickets visit www.dreamland.co.uk/events/listings/eventdetail/10788/9/hi-tide

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