Coronation: East Midlands postbox toppers appear

Charles and Camilla grace Long Whatton's postbox

People across the East Midlands are celebrating the coronation in a blaze of colour by decorating their streets and businesses.

Knitted displays of red, white, blue and royal purple have been popping up on postboxes as the country prepares for King Charles III to be crowned on Saturday 6 May.

The mysterious Syston Knitting Banxy has been brightening up the Leicestershire town with an eye-catching creation.

The anonymous knitter said her 61st postbox topper to date sees King Charles sat on a woolly version of the ancient Coronation chair, commissioned by Edward I in 1296.

She said: "The gold cloak worn by the woolly king represents the Robe Royal, and has the national emblems embroidered onto it.

"He wears the St Edward's Crown, which is covered in sparkling gems and gold beads, and is a smaller version of the crown I knitted for the jubilee last year."

West Hallam, in Derbyshire, has also had its postbox crowned with a regal knitted coronation display.

It's not just the knitters who are marking the royal occasion - Nottingham Council House, which displayed "England's largest" St George's flag earlier in April, has gone grand again with a large 3D crown on its facade.

The building will be lit up every night up to the coronation, the authority said.

And, on a smaller scale, the Enchanted Rose florist, in Alfreton, is one of a number of businesses in the Derbyshire town to spruce up their shop fronts for the coronation.

Co-owner Lisa Insley said: "Quite a few shops have done something special and look really amazing.

"We always try to make an effort when there's a big occasion like this and this time we've gone for a Ginger Spice theme because of her famous Union Jack dress."

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