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Hundreds gather for Stoke-on-Trent's centenary parade | Hundreds gather for Stoke-on-Trent's centenary parade |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The People's Parade continued despite persistent rain | |
Persistent rain did not dampen the spirits of hundreds of people who turned out for a parade to mark a city's centenary. | |
Hundreds gathered on the streets of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, to watch the People's Parade - the centrepiece of ongoing 100th birthday celebrations. | |
The procession, featuring huge puppets, live music and dancing, began at 13:00 BST with about 1,000 participants marching for 1.5 miles (2.4km) from College Road to finish at Hanley Park. | |
Speaking before, organiser Susan Clarke, from Stoke Creates, said: "It really is going to knock everyone's socks off." | |
"We don't tell the world enough how good we are at doing stuff and how creative and imaginative we are. | |
"Take us seriously, stop putting us down because there's no reason to do that now." | "Take us seriously, stop putting us down because there's no reason to do that now." |
More than 350 artists worked with 70 groups across the city on the procession - with the puppets including a representation of Burslem-born Lemmy from Motörhead, a giant clock and a 16ft-high (4.4m) figure which can interact with onlookers. | More than 350 artists worked with 70 groups across the city on the procession - with the puppets including a representation of Burslem-born Lemmy from Motörhead, a giant clock and a 16ft-high (4.4m) figure which can interact with onlookers. |
A 16ft people-powered puppet was one of the major attractions in the parade | |
Costume maker Holly Johnson made 100 cupcake costumes that were worn by pupils from Angela Beardmore School of Dance. | |
She said: "I've been told I could go to other cities and I could maybe do better, but we love Stoke so much that we want to help build the community here and we just wanted to keep help building the arts here." | She said: "I've been told I could go to other cities and I could maybe do better, but we love Stoke so much that we want to help build the community here and we just wanted to keep help building the arts here." |
Dave Lovatt, from Cat & Mouse Theatre Group, said his job was to get the crowd "roused up and excited" by sharing stories of local heroes on a megaphone, including Sir Stanley Matthews, Robbie Williams and athlete Jazmin Sawyers. | |
Organiser Susan Clarke told BBC Radio Stoke, which has been touring the six towns in an open-top red bus, the parade would be spectacular | |
Children from Year 7 at Haywood Academy worked with artist Emily Andrews to create a replica of the city's incinerator, with an invented creature protruding from it that is part fox, part axolotl. | |
The children fed litter, picked along the route, to the "foxalotl" and recycling it afterwards. | |
"I grew up in Stoke, it's a big part of my life and a big part of who I am," Ms Andrews said. | "I grew up in Stoke, it's a big part of my life and a big part of who I am," Ms Andrews said. |
Costume designer Holly Johnson, pictured with hatmaker Eve Travis holding the cupcake outfits, said she loves the city | |
Artist Kate helped children from Haywood Academy to create a new creature for the parade | |
The six towns, which were granted city status by King George V on 5 June 1925, marked the first official Stoke-on-Trent Day on Thursday. | The six towns, which were granted city status by King George V on 5 June 1925, marked the first official Stoke-on-Trent Day on Thursday. |
Celebrations culminate on Saturday with Party in the Park at Hanley Park, with performances from local musicians and street food stalls. | Celebrations culminate on Saturday with Party in the Park at Hanley Park, with performances from local musicians and street food stalls. |
A Lancaster Bomber flew over it just after 15:00 BST, approaching from Stoke-on-Trent College and continuing to the city centre. | |
The city's Lord Mayor Steve Watkins called it a "spectacular moment", symbolising the city's wartime contribution and "longstanding history of service and resilience". | |
A free street party with eight hours of dance music is also taking place on Piccadilly, Hanley, on Saturday from 14:00 to 23:00. | A free street party with eight hours of dance music is also taking place on Piccadilly, Hanley, on Saturday from 14:00 to 23:00. |
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. |