Little Amal: The refugee puppet arrives in the UK

A 3.5-metre-tall puppet called Little Amal has arrived in the UK.

She started her 5,000km (3,100 mile) journey on 27 July in Turkey, and has walked, with the help of eleven puppeteers, across Europe to reach the shores of Kent in the south of England.

Little Amal has been created to represent the story of young refugees travelling from war-torn Syria, highlighting the difficulties many refugees face to reach a safe place.

She was greeted by a crowd of local children who celebrated her arrival.

Eleven puppeteers have helped Amal on her journey from Turkey.

Little Amal, whose name means 'hope' in Arabic, was created by the Handspring Puppet Company.

They have previously made the puppet horses which feature in the stage play War Horse.

So far, Little Amal has visited Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France. In Italy, she met with Pope Francis in Rome.

Even though Little Amal has arrived in Kent after nearly three months travelling, she still has a long journey ahead of her.

Little Amal was greeted by hundreds of people on her arrival

She will now travel to Canterbury, London, Oxford, Coventry, Birmingham, Sheffield and Barnsley before completing her journey in Manchester on 3 November.

On Sunday, when she visits London, Little Amal will celebrate her 10th birthday with a cake designed by famous chef, Yotam Ottolenghi.

Lots of children have been invited to celebrate with her at her birthday party at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zuabi said Little Amal's birthday will be "a bittersweet moment of encountering a city she's heard a lot about, but also a coming of age as she celebrates her first birthday away from her parents."