HUNDREDS of visitors brought a taste of Brighton to Dieppe as they staged a celebration in the French town.

They crossed the Channel for the special event to mark the start of the Brighton Festival and the resumption of the regular ferry service from Newhaven.

English beer, music and comedy were on the menu - and the French could not get enough.

Thousands travelled from towns and villages across northern France with their numbers swelled by English day-trippers, many taking advantage of the Argus £5 special offer.

Instead of croissants and rolls, full English breakfasts were served.

An English pub was opened in a large marquee, with Bev Robbins from Brighton's Heart and Hand pulling the pints.

Brighton's Panama Jazz Band had audiences clapping and cheering, and were so popular that they were asked to come back in July.

They were joined by fellow Brighton band Universal Love Train as Dieppe partied into the night.

The Brighton Rock Shop stall proved a huge attraction in the street market, selling out of many items - although there were few takers for bags of Brighton pebbles.

And The English Shop sold plenty of marmalade, cakes and tea.

Steve Taylor, who runs a shop of the same name in Caen, Normandy, said: "I could have filled my van right up to the roof with English marmalade and it would have all gone."

Street performers who will be appearing in the Brighton Festival also descended on the town.

Dancing Elvis impersonators, 15ft tall on stilts, had the French bewildered and entranced.

The Strangelings had everyone fooled as they pretended to be statues. Only the odd slight movement gave the game away.

Brighton mayor Francis Tonks and Christian Cuvilliez, the Mayor of Dieppe, exchanged gifts.

Lewes MP Norman Baker and Newhaven mayor David Tait also crossed the Channel for the Brighton meets Dieppe weekend.

Steven Novick of the quayside Le Festival restaurant said: "It is great to have a ferry service and the English back. Dieppe without the English is not Dieppe".

Hoverspeed's new fast ferry, SuperSeaCat Two, made the 64-mile crossing in two hours. It made three return crossings on Friday and Saturday to keep up with demand.

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