Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Rutland Water landmark church lit up

Normanton Church at Rutland Water featured on BBC One's beacon-lighting programme on Thursday evening

A landmark church was illuminated in the official Platinum Jubilee colours to mark the Queen's 70-year reign.

Normanton Church at Rutland Water was lit up in purple and white to celebrate the occasion on Thursday.

The building featured on BBC One's beacon-lighting programme, which ended the first of four days of celebrations across the country.

Jonathan Young, service manager at the reservoir, said it was an "honour" the iconic church was chosen.

Mr Young said: "We were very honoured that one of Rutland's iconic buildings was chosen to be part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

"We wanted to do something to mark the occasion and illuminating Normanton Church in the official colours was a natural choice."

Normanton Church was lit up to mark the anniversary of the UK's first Covid lockdown in March 2021

He added the church is lit up several times throughout the year to mark special events.

Last year, it was illuminated to mark the anniversary of the UK's first Covid lockdown in March and Pride in June.

Most recently the landmark was lit up in blue and yellow to show solidarity for Ukraine.

The landmark was lit up in blue and yellow to show solidarity for Ukraine earlier this year

Rutland Water thanked photographer Richard Brown for a "wonderful" image.

"The picture even looks like the sky is on fire - very fitting for the occasion," a spokesperson said.

"Fantastic camera work Richard."

'Most striking'

Mr Brown, who has been working with Rutland Water to illuminate the church for about two years, said the recent one was his favourite.

"The jubilee colours looked the most striking," he said.

The 51-year-old engineer, who took up photography as a hobby in 2016, added: "I was pleased with the result and the photograph, the weather conditions were perfect."

More than 3,500 jubilee beacons were lit across the UK and Commonwealth on Thursday evening to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Britain's longest serving monarch, including one at Green's Windmill, in Sneinton, Nottinghamshire.

The Rutland Water church was illuminated for Pride in June 2021