Hot, steamy carnival

Revellers headed home after basking in the sunshine of Notting Hill Carnival’s hottest summer Bank Holiday ever.

Music filled the streets in West London on the first and second day, as people piled out to mark the long-standing celebration of Caribbean heritage in the capital last weekend, August 25 and 26.

Drummers paraded their way through the hottest Sunday and August Bank Holiday Monday since records began, as temperatures climbed to 30C in London. Some performers were armed with spray bottles filled with water, and stewards accompanying the bands handed out bottles of water to dancers decked out in colourful feathers.

Despite the heat, paraders continued to enjoy the weekend. Onlookers lined the streets as the floats passed through, and although some homes and businesses were boarded up, many had set up stalls selling food and water on front steps.

Around one million people were expected in west London across days of the carnival, which has been running for more than 50 years. Celebrations were continuing after the parade’s finish, as after-parties filled the roads around Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove.

Police have said they arrested 353 people across both days of the annual celebration, with almost half the arrests being drug-related. The lawmen were granted extra powers to stop and search people attending the street party. A Section 60 order was put in place for the area of the carnival, the Metropolitan Police said.

Notting Hill Carnival gold commander Dave Musker said the order was granted because of “incidents of violence” across London in recent days. Almost 12, 500 police officers and 1, 000 stewards patrolled to ensure a “safe and spectacular” festival. (ITVNews)