More than 250K people paid tribute to the Queen at Sandringham

The Sandringham Estate gardens team in the process of moving floral tributes from the Norwich Gates

An estimated 250,000 people turned out to pay their respects to the late Queen at her Norfolk home.

Visitor numbers peaked at Sandringham over the weekend prior to Her Majesty's funeral, with some 60,000 paying their respects on Saturday and Sunday, according to Norfolk Police.

Thousands of floral tributes left outside the Norwich Gates were removed overnight on Wednesday.

Flowers can continue to be left but at a different part of the Royal estate.

Road closures placed around the estate have now been removed, Norfolk Police said.

The sea of tributes to the late Queen have been cleared away from the Norwich Gates entrance to Sandringham House

Advice on the estate's website said visitors who still wished to leave floral tributes should place them "at a dedicated site opposite the war memorial near the visitor centre at Sandringham".

It also requested that people consider removing the wrapping to aid the longevity of the flowers and to assist in subsequent composting.

The estate said it would continue to observe a period of Royal mourning until 27 September.

Tributes to the late Queen at Sandringham

Labels and cards have been removed from the flowers and stored for members of the Royal Family to read.

"Once the floral tributes are removed, they will be taken for processing to remove any remaining packaging, cards and labels and to separate plant material for composting," the estate said.

"This organic composted material will be used within the Royal Gardens on shrubberies and landscaping projects across the Royal Parkland."

Charlie Metcalfe, who started her business this year, said she enjoyed listening to her customers stories of what the Queen meant to them

'Proudest moment'

Charlie Metcalfe, 19, who owns Rose Garden Flowers in King's Lynn, said she sold several red, white and blue £5 bouquets since the Queen's death was announced.

She said she was "really moved" by the stories of why people wanted to pay tribute to Her Majesty.

Her favourite story, she said, was told by one of her regular customers, who worked at the royal estate.

"They were just doing a bit of gardening on the estate, when a little old lady with a headscarf came over and said, would you like to pop in for a cup of tea?" Ms Metcalfe said.

The pair decided to go inside and everyone was seated before the lady in question removed her headscarf.

"And then he realised who she was and said 'ooh you're the Queen'", said Ms Metcalfe.

The customer told Ms Metcalfe how Her Majesty made the tea and poured it for him and his colleague, much to his amazement.

"It's a memory that's always going to stick with me now," she said.

A photograph of the Queen receiving a posy made by florist Charlie Metcalfe

The florist said she had the "honour" of making a floral arrangement for a charity, which was presented to the Queen during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Sandringham.

"I managed to get a photograph of them handing over the flowers to the Queen," she said.

"It now sits in the shop and is one of my proudest moments."