MORE than 5,000 schoolchildren filled the streets for the Children's Parade today.

With this year's theme of folk tales, 58 schools were challenged to create costumes and displays based on some of their favourite stories, including Jack and the Beanstalk and The Little Mermaid.

Children, parents and teachers carried huge effigies of giants, rats, spiders and more through Brighton city centre before finishing on the seafront.

Some schools performed dance routines, while other groups sang songs and played instruments as they walked along the route, entertaining an estimated 10,000 spectators who lined the city's streets to watch the procession.

For the last 30 years the Children's Parade has marked the launch of the Brighton Festival, an annual celebration of music, theatre, dance, circus, art, film, literature, debate and family events.

This will run until May 26, offering a wide variety of events, activities and performances at venues and locations across the city.