More than a 1,000 people are expected to visit Deal’s three-day Christmas Tree Festival, which starts tomorrow (Friday).

The annual event at Trinity Church on the corner of West Street and Union Road, will open at 10am with a performance from Sandown School choir.

A total of 38 decorated trees of varied heights, will stay on display until 5pm on Sunday.

Viewing times are 10am to 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday and from 12.30pm on Sunday.

The show is part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the church, which was formed when Deal’s Methodist and United Reformed congregations merged.

Church steward Geoff Potter said: “We’re one of the largest Christmas Tree festivals in Kent. One person has done a tree that represents all the things the church has done in the past and what we’d like to do in the future.”

There will be refreshments and stalls, plus free activities for children.

Entry is £2 for adults and free for accompanied children.

All proceeds will be split between the church and Smile Train – an international children’s charity that provides free cleft-lip and palate-repair surgery to children.