THE Notting Hill Carnival got off to a peaceful start yesterday with crowds thronging the streets of West London to celebrate the 40th birthday of Europe’s biggest street party.
More than a million people are expected to have joined in by the time the last flamboyant float has wended its way through the streets today.
Scotland Yard reported 14 arrests including four for theft, four for possession of drugs and two for drunkenness. There were no serious injuries.
A total of 10,500 officers will be on duty during the carnival but yesterday there was little sign of trouble as the event celebrated a theme of “Freedom and Justice” through dance, music and masquerade.
The Reading Pop Festival went less smoothly, with fans pelting the Finnish rock band The Rasmus with mud and bottles, forcing the musicians to abandon their performance.
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They had barely begun playing on the main stage at the sell-out festival when they were met with boos and missiles. They managed to complete one song before deciding to walk off.
A member of the festival audience said: “It was pretty rough. They obviously weren’t expecting it as they’re really successful. They’re doing really well but obviously the crowd here today weren’t really their crowd.”
The Finnish band was followed by Dropkick Murphys from Boston and they received an ecstatic reception.
In Northamptonshire a man was killed and another seven people injured after a coach loaded with holidaymakers veered off a slip road from the M1 at Daventry and crashed into trees.
The coach was carrying 35 passengers and two crew returning to Coventry from family camping holidays in France. Police closed Junction 17 of the motorway to deal with the debris.
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Police said no other vehicle was thought to have been involved in the crash.
Windy and showery weather spoilt the Bank holiday weekend for many parts of the country yesterday as heavy showers swept through the Midlands, Northern England, East Anglia and Northern Scotland, which suffered heavy downpours.
The miserable weather did not adversely affect the traffic flow as the AA reported one of the quietest Bank Holiday weekends on record, although today is expected to be busier on the roads as people return home from their holidays.
The forecast for today is for a dry day with occasional light showers. A spokesman for the Met Office, said: “Most of the country can expect a fine day today although there may be light showers in the Midlands and the West. In contrast to yesterday it should be a good day for getting out and about.”