Spring equinox: Hundreds rise early to celebrate at Stonehenge

It was a grey and drizzly spring equinox

Hundreds of people from all over the world have gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the spring equinox.

It was a grey and drizzly start at the ancient landmark on Tuesday morning to mark the start of astronomical spring.

The equinox is the point of the year when day and night are almost equal in length, and pagans celebrate it as a time of renewal and rebirth.

The celebrations at Stonehenge in Wiltshire included chanting, drumming and a druid wedding.

At Stonehenge - Reporter Karen Gardner

It is a very drizzly, damp and grey spring equinox at Stonehenge and people from all corners of the globe gathered to celebrate the day.

It was historically an incredibly important time of year for the people who built and tended Stonehenge.

It marked the start of spring and new growth after long winters - when food stocks were depleted and people looked forward to those green shoots of new growth, the promise of better-fed animals to hunt and the promise of a greater variety of food they could gather and forage for.

It is very cloudy here this morning but there has been a slow seep of sunlight spreading west, washing across these ancient, grey, elephantine stones.

There are maybe 300 people here this morning, it is very quiet, very joyful, very collegiate - everybody enjoying meeting people from other lands to celebrate.

Benjamin and Zarina got married by the light of dawn

Benjamin, from London, and Zarina, from Uzbekistan, said their vows by the light of dawn at the eastern side of the stone circle.

People had travelled from Italy, France and as far away as the United States to celebrate the moment.

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