HEREFORDSHIRE was awash with joy and happiness as every town, village and hamlet staged its own Coronation celebrations in the late spring of 1953, writes IAN MORRIS.

Communities came together to stage street parties, carnivals and colourful pageants in a mass show of support to Queen Elizabeth II.

The city of Hereford saw the biggest celebrations, which began on Coronation Sunday, May 31, when a 'Divine Service' at the Cathedral was followed by a civic parade around the city.

The week-long festivities finally came to a close on June 6 when the city's schools held an afternoon Coronation Fair on the Castle Green before Meredith Davies closed the proceedings by conducting a Coronation concert at the Shirehall in the evening.

The day of the Coronation itself was by far the most popular with crowds flooding the city to view the organised events.

On the Castle Green, a Royal Salute of 21 guns by the Boys' Regiment, Royal Artillery, got things underway at 10.26am - the exact moment the Queen left Buckingham Palace.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. G.F.C. Higginbotham, the Deputy Mayor of Hereford, officially opened the grand military tournament organised by the Old Contemptibles Association at the Edgar Street Football Ground.

More than 6,000 people crammed into the stadium to watch the eight-hour event, which featured the Hereford Lads Club gymnastic team and the Pyramid Riders motorcycle display team.

The Hereford Times later described the military display as 'one of the highlights of the Coronation' in our June 5, 1953, edition.

The same could not be said however, of the Coronation day pageant, which was 'ruined' by by the over enthusiastic crowd.

It all started well as 20 tableaux and four bands paraded through the decorated High Town and headed towards the Bishops Meadow.

It was at this point that disaster struck, as more than 9,000 people gathered on the playing fields to swamp the procession.

Spectators were jammed in the wings of the stage and became mixed up with the choir and the Salvation Army band.

Many complained that the stage was so low that only a few could see the proceedings and hundreds of others were forced to leave because of the crush.

The Town Clerk, Mr T.B. Feltham, would later state that the tight budget fixed to the rates had not allowed the council to accommodate such a big crowd.