Gin lovers will be able to sample a selection of the spirit at a 17-day gin festival starting at Wetherspoons' this Valentine's Day.

From Friday, The Flying Boat in Spital Street, Dartford and The Robert Pocock in Gravesend, will be serving up to 14 beverages based in the UK, as well as selected spirits from Ireland and Italy.

The pubs will see flavoured gins and gin-based liqueurs pitted off against exotic flavours, including ginger and cinnamon, rhubarb and orange blossom.

Among the UK gins are Aber Falls Gingerbread Gin Liqueur, Didsbury Gin Strawberry and Sicillian Lemon, Slingsby Marmalade Gin, Whitley Neill Blackberry Gin and Hawthorn's London Dry Gin.

Featured overseas tasters include Malfy Gin Rosa (Italy) and Mor Irish Gin (Republic of Ireland).

Each boozer will offer a range of mixers for customers to quench their thirst with, including three flavoured tonics, Valencian Orange, elderflower and pink grapefruit.

There will also be a distilled non-alcoholic option in the form of a Caleño Juniper and Inca Berry.

The Flying Boat manager, Lauren De Souza, said: "We have sourced an excellent range of gins, a number of which have not previously been available in the pub.

"We are confident that our customers will enjoy the different gins which each have their own unique appeal."

The festival will run until Sunday March 1.

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend