AMERICAN kite enthusiast Peter Dolphin brought the sunshine to Weymouth’s 19th International Beach Kite Festival after two years of rain.

The construction company owner from New Jersey made an impressive return to the borough, after a couple of years away, with his 150-foot-long rainbow kite.

Hundreds of people turned out to see the start of the annual two-day event yesterday.

Amid perfect blue skies and gusty wind, dozens of international kite fliers filled the sky above Weymouth beach with a wide range of colourful shapes from giant pandas to inflatable insects.

Peter, 60, said: “I’ve been coming for the past 15 years and it’s all about the people and the area.

“I’ve been blessed and had the opportunity to fly kites around the world.

“I take full credit for the wind and the nice sun.

“I didn’t come the past two years and it rained.”

A huge manta ray, gecko and Blue Peter teddy bear were also among the biggest kites on display.

Highlights of the event, which continues today, included acrobatic kite displays to music.

Team Spectrum father and son duo Bryan and Carl Wright, of Ipswich, put on a performance and then Carl, 34, showed off his multiple flying skills with three sports kites attached to his wrists and stomach.

Festival organiser Ginn Bloom of Colchester, Essex said: “Carl is one of only three people in the United Kingdom to be able to do this.

“It’s a bit like being able to rub your stomach and pat your head at the same time.”

Other stars of the show included a four-line kite team, Flying Squad, who performed a synchronised ballet, Avon Flying Squad, France Team Generation with their array of cellular and flat kites and Mike Goddard from Derbyshire with his own designs of highly-graphic kites.

Peter Schmidts-Pits from Germany, inventor of the Firebird, attended and Andrew and Kathleen Beattie from Wokingham brought the world’s largest Red Nose kite plus other large inflatable kites.

Councillor Brendan Webster, borough council spokesman for leisure, tourism and community facilities, opened the kite festival with a poem and wished everyone a great time.