Revellers pack Notting Hill

Dancing in the streets with Carnival colour

LONDON -- A million revellers are taking to the streets of west London on the final and biggest day of the Notting Hill Carnival.

Crowds are packing the residential roads for the annual celebration, which started in 1964. Floats will parade down a three-mile route as crowds dance around giant sound systems and consumed tons of chicken and beer.

Monday's parade, on a national holiday, is the culmination of three days of festivities which organisers say is the world's biggest street party. On Sunday about 500,000 people crammed the streets and twice that number was expected on Monday.

Meanwhile police on Monday played down newspaper reports that eight bombs found in a wood in Oxfordshire -- about 60 miles north of London -- was part of a racist plot to sabotage the carnival, which was started by Caribbean immigrants and retains a strong calypso feel.

"There is no reason to suspect the explosives are linked with the carnival," said a Scotland Yard spokeswoman. Thames Valley Police in Oxfordshire also played down a link.

The devices, found on Friday by a man walking his dog, were described as "sophisticated."

Sunday's celebrations were largely trouble free but police made 17 arrests for a variety of offences, the most serious being an assault on police and a stabbing. Seven thousand officers are policing the event.

A sudden storm soaked revellers after 75 costume bands had entertained the crowds.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Party-time in Notting Hill
August 26, 2000

The Notting Hill Carnival 2000

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