THOUSANDS of people flocked to the seafront to see in the longest night of the year as part of Brighton’s annual Burning The Clocks festival.

Last night’s event, which marks the winter solstice, drew 1,500 people marching in a lantern procession through The Lanes and streets of Brighton and down to the seafront for a spectacular fireworks show.

Crowds of families and friends congregated to watch the parade along its final stretch in Madeira Drive before the bonfire was lit.

Keri McCauley, 35, from Hove, had taken her daughters Jamie and Frankie to watch the lantern procession.

She said: “It’s a really lovely way to get everyone together to start Christmas off.”

Gemma Pike, 34, from Peacehaven was watching the procession with her children, Nathan and Jorja.

She said: “It’s a great way of celebrating the days getting longer again.”

Armed police officers were in attendance but the event ran smoothly.

Burning The Clocks was created in 1993 as an antidote to the excesses of the commercial side of Christmas and a way to celebrate the festive season regardless of faith.

Run by Same Sky, Burning The Clocks takes on a different theme each year. This year it was “East” and the parade’s main puppet was based on the Japanese folklore character Yuki Onna, a snow witch.

Dramatic lanterns included a rooster, marking the Chinese zodiac for 2017. The event is crowdfounded,with £5,698 raised by supporters over the last few weeks.

Arka Original Funerals returned to sponsor the event, offering memorial lanterns to those wishing to pay tribute to loved ones lost this year and these led the procession.

People bought lanterns from The Book Nook in Hove, the Royal Pavilion shop, eco-supermarket HISBE and The Wood Store to take part – and they all sold out more than two weeks before the big day the event.