Dozens of people, including soldiers armed with bayonets, marched through the streets to honour their new mayor as he took a ride in a carriage once owned by royalty.

Many were invited to join in with the celebrations of the civic parade in Maidstone, which took place yesterday (May 17).

The event incorporates the inauguration of the new mayor as well as the 36 Engineer Regiment and The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers exercising their rights as Honorary Freemen of the Borough to march through the town with bayonets fixed.

In the morning, the military assembled in front of County Hall and civilians assembled in Earl Street from 10.45am.

The parade was led by a marching band, which stepped off at 11.30am from Week Street and made its way to All Saints’ Church for the civic service.

New mayor Cllr Martin Round took the salute from the Town Hall and then made his way in a horse-drawn ceremonial landau carriage.

It was built by Holmes of London and Derby and was originally used by the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, third son of Queen Victoria, for formal or state occasions.

Since 1954, it has been used for Maidstone civic occasions, weather permitting.

Road closures and parking restrictions were in place between 10am and 1pm to allow the formation and safe passage of the parade.

They were reopened to traffic once the procession had passed.

As part of the event, there was entertainment in Jubilee Square between midday and 12.45pm from Bloco Fogo, one of the largest samba bands in Kent and the South East.

The elected new mayor, Martin Round, is a Conservative councillor who represents Headcorn ward.

Born in Lancashire, he has lived in the village since 1963. He went to Cranbrook School after briefly attending Maidstone Grammar School.

After becoming a Headcorn Parish Council member in 2004, he was elected as a Maidstone Borough councillor in 2014.

The ward has since expanded and now includes Sutton Valence and other parishes.

Cllr Brian Clark (Lib Dem), who represents the Loose and Linton Ward, was made deputy mayor.

He said: “I’m delighted to have been elected deputy mayor alongside our new mayor Martin Round.

“It was a lovely day and I’m very much looking forward to the year ahead.”

Martin takes over civic duties from Cllr John Perry, who has served as mayor for the last year.