The pandemic has been hard on many professions in Kent, but especially on those in live performance.

Without an audience, not only could they not work, but they could not even perfect their skills.

Cassie Tough from Shepway in Maidstone was one of those affected.

She's been singing in pubs and clubs since she was 18, and her work has taken her to Cyprus before, mainly singing Country and Western.

She said: "I probably first started performing when I was aged three and my Mum would stand me on an upside-down washing basket to sing to the family."

She said: "When lockdown started, I just missed it so much. Then I began getting messages from others I knew saying how much they missed it too."

So she and her husband Steve, who likes to sing himself, decided to do something to provide a venue for entertainers.

They set up Live Bar, an online Facebook venue where performers can do their thing in front of an audience.

She said: "We started it in December. The very next day we had 300 members, the day after 600 and then it just expanded from there."

The group now has more than 7,000 members world-wide, with some as far away as the USA and Canada.

Members book as slot through Mrs Tough, and then get the chance to perform for an hour in front of everyone else.

Performances start at 12noon and run until 10pm each day.

Mrs Tough said: "It's a private group. We vet people before they are allowed in to ensure they are genuine and to make sure there's no trolling or anything like that."

You can find out more about Live Bar here.

Read more: All the latest news from Malling

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

Read more: All the latest news from Weald

Read more: All the latest news from Kent