Festival starts

The samba band, who will be appearing at Beach Dreams on Saturday, kicked off a day of music and dance in Shoreham to launch the 2005 festival.

East Street was closed during the day as various bands took to the stage, including Blackthorn and the Brighton Beach Boys.

There was also a live broadcast by Splash FM in East Street, presented by DJ Simon Hardwick.

Nearby Coronation Green was home to the Adur World Oceans Day event and Becalmed, the annual fte of Shoreham and District Mental Health Association.

Andy Horton, from the British Marine Life Study Society, said attendance was up on last year's World Oceans Day. "Despite the overcast day and the near gales that battered the marquee, Adur World Oceans Day 2005 was a success, with live displays of lobsters, crabs, aquarium displays of sandy shore and rocky shore fauna, the simulated rock pool, the dolphin exhibit, the Sussex Coastal Watch Project, strandline touch tables, vegetated shingle from Shoreham Beach and Widewater lagoon and the table of the Sussex Ornithological Society."

The Becalmed fte raised 1,500 for Shoreham and District Mental Health Association, based at the Old School House in Ham Road, Shoreham.

The money will help with the charity's running costs and its appeal for new premises. The second Southwick Beer Festival at Southwick Community Centre proved to be a tremendous success, with more than 1,000 people enjoying the selection of ales, perrys and ciders over Saturday and Sunday.

Organiser Mark Flower said it was opened by MP Tim Loughton on Friday night and more than 400 people enjoyed the festivities on that evening.

Mr Flower added they had had more than 250 visitors on Saturday lunchtime and 500 in the evening.

The selection included a first for Southwick, Zywiec Beer, which was supplied by Brand Distribution.

Adur is twinned with the Polish town of Zywiec and a group of dancers from there will be appearing next week as part of the Shoreham Food and Drink Festival.