Sikhs in Gravesend marked the start of New Year celebrations with a flag raising ceremony in the town centre.

Prominent local figures in the Sikh community were joined by the Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Derek Sales, and MP Adam Holloway for the event on Friday.

The Sikh flag was raised outside the Civic Centre ahead of the annual festival of Vaisakhi set to take place this Saturday.

As well as marking the Sikh New Year, the celebration commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was established as a faith.

The festival will begin with a procession through the town centre starting at 11.30am from the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Saddington Street.

Gurdwara president Davinder Singh Bains said: "I humbly invite all the communities of Gravesham to come and join in the festivities.

"Vaisakhi is a very special occasion for the Sikh community and we welcome the fact that here in Gravesham all the diverse communities come together as one to support us."

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