Morpeth digging in as part of Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Coun David Bawn with pupils from Morpeth All Saints Church of England First School holding their commemorative mugs.

Morpeth will be awash in red, white and blue for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Activities led by Morpeth Town Council include new Union Jack bunting adorning the town centre, along with a matching planting scheme.

The local authority is supporting the Queen’s Green Canopy – one of the initiatives to celebrate the Monarch’s 70-year reign – by planting a tree in each ward and marking the occasion with a commemorative plaque.

The Mayor, Coun David Bawn, has planted a tree on the entrance to Lancaster Park and two others have been planted; one at Deuchar Park and the other on the green space along Spelvit Lane.

Coun David Bawn planting a tree on the entrance to Lancaster Park.

The council has also issued commemorative mugs to all pupils who attend Morpeth’s first and middle schools.

Coun Bawn said: “It was an honour to be involved with planting a tree to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“The location is especially touching to me as I planted one of the other trees nearby on Leslie’s View when I was a schoolboy at the primary school on Lancaster Park.

“The town council thought it was important that Morpeth children received a memento of the Jubilee to key as a keepsake as a reminder of this historic occasion.

“We thought a commemorative royal mug would be the perfect gift for local children and I thoroughly enjoyed returning to my old school to present some mugs to some of today’s pupils.”

The council is working with Sanderson Arcade and the Chamber of Trade to encourage traders to have a themed window display, with a prize being given for the best display.

There will be a number of events on the Market Place over the special Bank Holiday weekend in early June – including markets, music, memorabilia, food and drink. Further details will be released in due course.

The local authority will also be issuing party boxes to help towards residents hosting their own street party over the Jubilee Weekend in the form of 10 boxes per ward, all of which have now been allocated.

However, Eden Project is also inviting communities across the UK to come together for The Big Jubilee Lunch as part of the official celebrations.

For more information and to sign-up for your free pack to help get you started, go to www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-jubilee-lunch