East Midlands celebrates Coronation of King Charles III

A large crown has been placed on the Council House in Nottingham

The Coronation of King Charles III is being celebrated across the East Midlands with both large-scale events and hundreds of street parties.

Leicester, Derby and Nottingham are hosting major events.

Pubs, clubs and bars were allowed to open for an extra two hours on Friday and are again on Saturday.

The celebrations mark the first coronation in 70 years, as King Charles III is crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort.

Nottingham

Sue Grant and Mary Gleeson were proud they had braved the weather

The ceremony was screened at Nottingham Castle, the first time it has been open to the public since November after the Nottingham Castle Trust went into liquidation.

Sue Grant, 74, and Mary Gleeson, 68, both from Nottingham, were part of the crowd braving the unpredictable weather.

Ms Grant said: "I can remember being on my dad's shoulders at Pall Mall so I had to come today.

"I hope for Charlie's sake this will be my last coronation but you never know, do you?

"Two of us cried off because of the weather forecast but we're well hard!"

Ms Gleeson said: "It's nice watching the Coronation in a big group like this. It's more of an occasion."

Angela and Martin Crotty sheltered under their corgi-themed brolly

Angela and Martin Crotty refused to let the showers dampen their spirits.

Ms Crotty said: "It's such a big occasion. It's once in a lifetime, a really good atmosphere. Despite the weather there's a real buzz in the air."

Mr Crotty added: "We're not royalists but we do follow them and do respect them. We've come prepared, we've got our waterproofs on."

Organisers said it was good to see people back at the castle

Patrick Loy, head of Nottingham events at the city council, said: "I think the weather has dampened a few people's enthusiasm to come out here but we're really pleased with the crowd.

"It's a great honour to be Nottingham's official Coronation event, but we're also honoured to have the first event with the re-opening of the castle.

"It's nice to see people back in the grounds."

On Sunday evening, the castle will host a live big screen broadcast of the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle.

More than 100 street parties have also been planned across Nottinghamshire, according to the county council.

Derby

Cat Croger and her family queued from early on Saturday for the screening at Derby Cathedral

The cathedral is the focal point of Derby's Coronation celebrations.

It opened its doors at 09:00 on Saturday for people who wanted to see the service on a big screen.

Among those watching was Cat Croger, who had been waiting from just before 8am to get front seats alongside daughter Sally and husband Steve

On Sunday the cathedral has invited people to attend a Big Lunch picnic from 12:30.

While at 17:15 on Sunday the cathedral will host a special service for the Coronation.

At one of the many street parties taking place across the city - on Kensall Rise in Mackworth - organiser Mick Walsh said: "We have gazebos, we have a marquee in case it rains, we have draught beer and a DJ.

"It is the community coming together, it is Mackworth coming together, it is the whole estate.

"It is such a big thing to be part of, young and old - we're having have a great time."

The street party at Kensall Rise in Mackworth...

...where King Charles himself later put in an appearance

Elsewhere in Derby, the High Sheriff of Derbyshire - Theresa Peltier - officially opened a party on Sutherland Road, the self-proclaimed "most patriotic street in the city".

Sutherland Road - featuring the Deputy Mayor, the High Sheriff of Derbyshire, Black Panther and Anna from Frozen

Goat Save the King! At Helping Hooves social farm in Little Eaton

Leicester

The multi-faith concert at De Montfort University

In Leicester, people gathered at De Montfort University's campus in Mill Lane for a live broadcast of the Coronation ceremony on the university's big screen.

This was preceded by a special concert by various community and faith groups.

Priti Raichura from the Jalaram Hindu Temple on Narborough Road said: "Bells sound lovely, when you hear church bells regardless of which religious background you come from.

"But bells are really important in many faiths and certainly in the Hindu faith so we are happy to be here with children from our temple playing bells and other instruments."

Leicester City Council has also arranged a series of family events at venues, libraries and museums over the weekend.

Crowds braved the rain to watch the ceremony on the screen outside the university

Coronation-themed postbox toppers have appeared across the East Midlands ahead of the big day

Leicester Cathedral will host a Big Lunch from 12:00 on Sunday in the Grand Hall of St Martin's House, and people have been asked to bring drinks and finger food.

Leicestershire County Council said it had been informed of 133 planned street parties over the weekend.

The city council said it had been told about five street celebrations.

Rutland

A party in the park is planned for the King

Cutts Park in Oakham will host a Coronation party, arranged by the town council, from 12:00 on Sunday after a special service at All Saints Church.

On Tuesday, Oakham Library will host an afternoon called Music Fit for a King, in which Rutland harpist Harriet Flather will perform a selection of classical and light music from 14:30 to 15:30, with an interval when tea and cake will be served and a toast can be raised to the King.

Throughout the East Midlands on Sunday, people will be encouraged to "share food and fun together" as part of the Coronation Big Lunch.

The festivities continue on Bank Holiday Monday, with opportunities to volunteer at locations across the region.

Billed as the Big Help Out, people will have the chance to volunteer at charity shops in Nottingham, plant flowers at a church in Draycott, Derbyshire and help out at a scout and guide group in Leicester.