Bromley's Mayor joined the Chinese community in Orpington to celebrate New Year in style.
More than 250 people gathered at Warren Road Primary School to ring in the new year yesterday (February 18).
Mayor Coun Julian Benington joined in the festivities which saw more than 120 dishes prepared for the banquet.
MORE TOP STORIES Organised by the Chinese community, families cooked up a storm to serve authentic home-made dishes including two 160lb suckling pigs.
Guests young and old enjoyed music and dance performances from pupils at the Orpington Chinese Language School, based at Warren Road Primary.
Intricate carving by a guest
Welcoming the year of the goat, the traditional dragon dance was performed by teachers at the school.
Gigi Chen, headteacher of the language school, said: "Everyone was so happy to celebrate together, we had a fantastic time.
“Chinese New Year is like Christmas.
“It’s very important to celebrate it especially with local families.
“We’re so happy the mayor could come, we know he’s very busy.”
Part of the banquet
She added there was a last minute crisis with a special banner, which was accidentally left in China.
Ms Chen and others frantically enlisted the help of a pilot to bring the New Year banner from China to London, and it eventually arrived just two days before the event.
Ms Chen, who presented the banquet, added: “A lot of effort went into it!
“There was lots of subtle detail to make it happen.”
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