Platinum Jubilee: South East plans almost 2,000 street parties

Almost 2,000 street parties are planned across the South East in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

In Kent, 639 street closures were given the go ahead, in Sussex 611 parties were approved and in Surrey 641 requests went in to hold parties.

About 500 children from nine local schools attended the first community party in Gravesend last week.

The parties are part of a host of events including open-air theatre, carnivals and a river pageant.

On Wednesday, patients and service users at Ellenor Hospice joined for a celebration, games and a jubilee lunch at the hospice in Coldharbour Road in Northfleet, Kent.

Local musicians and patients worked together to compose a song for the jubilee, based on "the experiences of celebrations of life".

Andy Lowden, head of wellbeing at Ellenor, said: "It's amazing isn't it, all these patients and staff enjoying themselves. We've got people dressed in 50s gear, we've got red, white and blue things, we've got fantastic food and the sun is shining for us."

Elsewhere, performers rehearsed ahead of a seafront carnival in Eastbourne, East Sussex, on 4 June and for a celebration titled "Tales Through Time: A Right Royal Gallop" set to be held at Westenhanger Castle in Hythe, Kent.

Jubilee-themed decorations have also begun appearing in towns and villages across the South East this week.

As well as street party celebrations, 219 official beacons will be lit across the South East to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Kent has the second highest number of official beacons in the UK with 113, while East and West Sussex have 75 and Surrey has 31.

A list of street parties and other jubilee-inspired events across the South East can be found here.

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