Brighton Festival got under way with a carnival atmosphere when thousands of youngsters joined this year's Children's Parade.

The event on Saturday saw 4,500 children, parents and teachers taking part and more than 10,000 spectators lining the route from Sydney Street.

Impressive walking floats were entered by 79 schools and youth groups, including a car driven by Elvis Presley built by Benfield Junior School in Portslade and shiny silver Daleks created by children at Mowden School in Hove, along with Doctor Who and his trusty friend K9.

The parade was led by children from Somerhill Junior School, Hove, who chose this year's theme, All The World's A Stage.

Comedian Steve Coogan made an appearance, carrying part of Middle Street School's Jungle Book float.

Spectators praised the effort children had put into making the costumes and giant puppets and the noise of banging drums, whistles and music from huge speaker systems.

Pat Prince, of Carden Hill, Brighton, watched with her daughter Karen and two of her grandchildren.

She said: "It is wonderful - the parade is very colourful.

"A lot of imagination must have gone into putting the costumes together and you can see the children are enjoying taking part."

Bob Cristofoli, of Grand Parade, Brighton said: "It is a lovely way to start the festival.

"The floats are magnificent. An awful lot of work has gone into them.

"I think we are getting better at this sort of event, closer to how people on the Continent do it."

Five-year-old Owen Derrick, of Capel Avenue, Peacehaven, said the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car from Cottesmore St Marys School in Hove was one of his favourite floats.

His father Mark said: "It has been a great day.

"I didn't realise how much effort went into putting the parade together but the children really enjoy it."

Sabine and Ramon Zickler, from Frankfurt, Germany, were at the parade with their two-year-old daughter Luisa.

Mr Zickler said: "I love this. There is so much noise and enthusiasm and that's the way it should be."

The parade was a trip down memory lane for Teresa Owen, of West Quay, Newhaven, who used to take part every year as a child and returned on Saturday with her children.

She said: "It was a brilliant parade - very colourful. It is much bigger than I remember it and a lot noisier."

Electra Lore, a teacher at the Brighton Steiner School, said taking part in this year's event had been a lot of fun.

She said: "It's a great event and fantastic for the kids. They love it."

Clen Hunter, seven, of Westdene School, took part and said: "It was like being in a dream."

Mia Harness, eight, of Wayland Avenue, danced in the parade and banged on a drum. She said: "It was really good fun. I had an excellent day."

Organiser Laurence Potter, whose arts group Same Sky ran the event for Brighton Festival, said: "We had entries from more groups this year than ever."

The parade finished on the beach near the Peace Statue, where a sound system blasted out Calypso music.