Thousands of Girl Guides from ages five to 95 took to the stage today as belly dancers, Bollywood stars and pop singers.

The giant celebration brought Brighton seafront to a standstill as an estimated 4,000 people arrived to celebrate 100 years of Girlguiding UK.

The event involved Rainbows, Brownies and Guides past and present performing talents including belly dancing and African drumming.

The show they have spent months rehearsing was watched by Brighton and Hove Deputy Mayor Gary Peltzer-Dunn, the Lord Lieutenant for East Sussex Peter Field and Regional Chief Commissioner for girl guiding Anne Hudson.

Head of PR for Girlguiding Sussex East, Helen Osborne, said: “We had Guides from the age of five to 95 and even the one's that are in their 90s got up on stage and danced.

“It was really inspirational and was intended to show the young ones that Guiding is exciting and we are a group that is moving with the times.”

Brighton West performed Bollywood dancing and Brighton East did belly dancing.

Girls from Hastings and St Leonards took to the African drums and a group from Eastbourne sung S Club 7 hit Reach for the Stars.

But just as they were getting ready to leave the Brighton Centre, King's Road, where the all-day event took place, they were wowed with a grand finale by Sugar Babes tribute band Sugar'd Babes.

They sang hits including Push the Button and Here Come the Girls.

Parent Kate Parkin, whose eight-year-old daughter Clemmie is part of Brighton East, said: “We really had no idea it was such a big celebration.

“The girls went absolutely mad when the band came on, it really made their day.”

The event was organised to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the start of Girlguiding UK, which currently has 5,500 members in Sussex.