In 14 pictures: People enjoy free Midsummer Festival in Hastings

Children enjoyed circus skills, arts events and having their faces painted.

Local community groups had stalls. Active Hastings and sports clubs were on hand to give trials of bowls, tennis, putting and petanque.

Fabulous Red Diesel was the live music headline act and there was a performance by Dendê Nation drummers and samba dancers.

The Battle of Boyley Jam skate event was running all afternoon at the skate park next to the gardens Alexander Wilberforce, chairman of the Marianne North Centre Hastings, said: “This event is about bringing more people to White Rock Gardens.

“White Rock is a magnificent site overlooking the sea. In past past years it has got a little bit run down. The council is trying to bring more modern attractive sports like paddle tennis up here. We are involved as a heritage organisation.

"This area was sold to the council for recreation or a winter garden in 1902. There were winter garden projects, in fact, even one on the site of the current theatre opposite the pier.

"We would like to celebrate the botanical artist Marianne North, who was born in Hastings, by creating a covered greenhouse with some of the plants she painted around the world.

“Marianne North was born in Hastings in 1830, but there's nothing to commemorate that here in Hastings. Her artwork is on display at Kew Gardens, but obviously her home was here. She spent two thirds of her life living in Hastings. And even after she left Hastings, she remained in touch.”