Queen's 90th birthday: Beacons of light to celebrate milestone

More than 1,000 beacons will be lit across the UK after Her Majesty, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall light the principal beacon at Windsor Castle to celebrate the momentous occasion.

A beacon will be lit on Rowley Hills, near East Avenue, by Sandwell mayor, Councillor Barbara Price, on 21 April at 8.30pm. The best view of the beacon will be from the Oldbury area.

Wolverhampton will also celebrate the birthday in style, with a beacon to be lit at 7.30pm and a special street party taking place in Upper Green, Tettenhall, from 5pm-9pm on April 21.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a fun fair, food stalls and entertainment courtesy of Dicky Dodd and the Signal 107 roadshow.

Younger visitors have the chance to meet Marshall, star of TV's Paw Patrol, who will be appearing between 5pm and 8pm on the day, and there will be music from Chris Carmell's New Vintage Jazz Band and the popular Line Dancing Queens. Entry to the street party is free and Upper Green will be closed to traffic from 3pm on the day. Mark Blackstock, head of visitor economy for Wolverhampton council said: "The street party in Tettenhall will be a great opportunity for people from all over Wolverhampton to get together and celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. We've got a fantastic line up, including the Signal 107 roadshow, jazz music, line dancing and a fun fair, and we're delighted that Marshall from Paw Patrol will be there as we join hundreds of other communities up and down the country in lighting a beacon."

Rugeley will see a beacon lit too, on 21 April at 8.30pm, at Market Square.

Pageant master, Bruno Peek, LVO, OBE, OPR, said: "It has been an enormous privilege to be able to organise this amazing community event to celebrate the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen. I am delighted to see so many different organisations playing their part."

Cannock Chase will take part on the special evening of events on April 21 too, lighting a beacon at The Museum of Cannock Chase at 7.30pm. The museum will be hosting a special evening opening on the night, so visitors can come and view the galleries.

Celebrations will also take place at Chancel Primary School, Rugeley, where red, white and blue balloons will be released at midday on April 21. Each balloon will have a 'Thanksgiving Prayer' written by the pupils attached to it.

Beacons have previously been lit around the country for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977, 50th Anniversary of VE Day in 1995, the Millennium, the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, The Trafalgar Weekend in 2005, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and 75th Anniversary of VE Day.

Further beacons will be lit at the top of the four highest peaks in the UK.