Notting Hill Carnival: Revellers bring colour and dance to west London streets as sun finally comes out for Europe's biggest street party

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Tom Powell27 August 2018

More than a million revellers descended on Notting Hill Carnival as the sun finally came out for Europe's biggest street party.

Carnival queens got celebrations under way wearing bright feather headbands and dazzling outfits as the skies cleared for Monday’s main parade.

The sunny spells allowed dancers to wear their vibrant outfits without the need for ponchos and rain coats.

Downpours blighted Family Day at the carnival on Sunday, with visitors forced to take shelter under umbrellas and wet weather gear throughout the afternoon.

Costumed revellers got the second day of the carnival off to a raucous start
AP

But day two of the carnival saw enormous crowds packing out the streets of west London as they danced, sang, ate and drank all afternoon.

The stages all fell silent for 72 seconds at 3pm, in a moving tribute to the 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire . The building stands just half a mile from the parade route.

More than a million revellers descended on west London
Getty Images for Redbull

Popstar Lily Allen took to the stage during the afternoon wearing a lime green tracksuit. The singer famously collapsed at the 2016 carnival after an alcohol binge.

Lily Allen performs at the Sir Lloyd Sound Stage on Monday (Getty Images for Malibu)
Getty Images

Dancers were pictured posing alongside police officers, who had made 125 arrests as of 6pm on Monday, on top of 133 on Sunday.

Police were operating with enhanced stop-and-search powers in a bid to crack down on violence amid a wave of knife crime in the capital.

A dancer dressed as a peacock smiles for the camera
AFP/Getty Images

On Monday the police presence was very visible, with officers wearing high-visibility vests stopping and searching men and women of all races as they walked along the pedestrianised streets.

But the police seemed in good spirits, stopping from time to time to high-five revellers, and acting as guides.

Revellers take part in the Notting Hill Carnival
REUTERS

The bank holiday weekend event was policed by the highest number of officers in six years, with almost 7,000 officers on hand on Monday and around 6,100 on Sunday.

Dancers wear colourful costumes on the second day
PA

After a wave of violent crime in the capital in recent months, Scotland Yard announced knife arches had been placed at "strategic points" along the route to help reassure people about their safety, though officials did not disclose where.

Police hoped the "tried and tested" arches would put off those planning to arm themselves with knives and offensive weapons, but not everybody will be expected to pass through them.

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