ON the most British of weekends – right down to the weather – the people of Huntingdon braved the elements to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

It was a weekend of water (well rain!), fire and ice as beacons were lit, fireworks burst into the night sky and children and adults tried a bit of ice-skating at one of the celebratory events.

The first of the town’s Diamond Jubilee events started on Friday with a bit of tradition.

Huntingdon MP Jonathon Djanogly, the Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech the Venerable Hugh McCurdy, deputy lord lieutenants Derek Bristow and Victor Lucas, the district’s town mayors, and the newly-elected chairman of Huntingdonshire District Council Barbara Boddington attended a flag-raising ceremony outside Pathfinder House in St Mary’s Street.

With the Union Jack flying high, the guests moved inside to the Civic Suite, where a refurbished portrait of The Queen was unveiled.

Cllr Boddington said: “It was my first event as chairman and it was excellent.”

Representatives from the armed forces were at the ceremony as well as Cllr Boddington’s chosen charities: St John Ambulance (Huntingdonshire), Cancer Research UK, Samaritans (Huntingdon) and Natural High Experience.

On Saturday. there was a musical performance from the Paul Sylvester Quartet in Bloomfield Park and a children’s model Spitfire proved a popular attraction.

On Sunday, the Big Lunch at the Medway Centre was a sell-out while Monday’s event at Coneygear Park featured an ice rink and the release of more than 100 balloons.

Huntingdon Town Councillor Patrick Kadawere said: “The day was brilliant. We wanted to do something different and it’s good to see so many families come down to have a good time.”

Later on the Monday, town dignitaries returned to Bloomfield Park, where a procession led by the Mayor of Huntingdon Cllr Colin Hyams set off to Castle Hill, via the town hall, for the beacon-lighting and a firework display.

Cllr Hyams said: “It was excellent and went very well. Lots of people said it was the best fireworks display they had ever seen in Huntingdon.”