A Spice Girl is joining the line up for this year's Margate Pride festival in the summer.

Mel C will headline a show at Dreamland after the town's parade at the end of the week-long festival which will be attended by a host of LGBT campaigners and supporters.

Organisers say they are excited to celebrate the LGBT community in Thanet and the family friendly programme of events planned for 2019.

The Margate Pride is now in its fourth year and director and performer Tommy Poppers says the event continues to grow every year with this year's "week-long queer arts festival" being the biggest yet.

The Spice Girl will be singing on the main stage at Dreamland along with Sink the Pink - a drag dance troupe - on the Saturday night of the festival on August 10.

Mr Poppers, who will be performing his drag show at the Tom Thumb Theatre, says they are plenty of events throughout the week for people to get involved with.

Speaking to Thanet Extra, he said: "It's growing every year and getting bigger.

"Local community groups are all free to get involved in the parade, you don't have to be LGBT. This year's theme is Beside the Seaside so hopefully there'll be lots of sailors.

"There's lots of events and we're really starting to up our game and curate lots of things."

The festival, which is run entirely by volunteers, will also welcome human rights campaigner and LGBT advocate, Peter Tatchell, and the Turner Contemporary is also hosting writer Jonathan Kemp for a talk.

The parade will take place from 3pm to 6pm on August 10 turning the town into a sea of colour and the official after party is at the Margate Lido.

Mr Poppers added: "It's really nice the community get involved and get behind it. We want everybody to be involved.

"It's work of passion but we know why we're doing it.

" Homophobia is a thing in Thanet. We want to make the festival as inclusive as possible and make people feel it's ok to be LGBT."

Anyone wanting to run a float or take part in the parade can contact organisers at info@margatepride.org.uk

Read more Thanet news and headlines here