Notting Hill Carnival bands take to the road for 2015

Notting Hill Carnival bands are taking to the roads of west London for the second day of what is thought to be Europe's largest street music festival.

Up to 60 bands in colourful costumes are taking part in the Grand Finale street parade. There are also 38 sound systems to entertain crowds.

Half a month's worth of rain was predicted to fall but the performers were undeterred

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Transport for London said some road and Tube closures would be in place.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunder, heavy rain and possible lightning in London.

Image captionBright umbrellas added to the colourful carnival style

Image captionThis is how the magic happens: Behind the scenes with the London School of Samba

Image captionLast minute costume alterations were made ahead of the Bank Holiday parade

The event is expected to be attended by millions of people across the two days and police had made 95 arrests by 21:00 BST on Sunday.

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War Horse Tickets - No Booking Fee on Selected Mon-Fri Shows* From £16.25

Passion, drama and one of the greatest events in history – War Horse has it all. Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, this powerfully moving tale is set against the back drop of World War I, and follows an emotional journey that charges through the battlefields of history straight to the hearts of audiences around the world.

The breath-taking live production has been wowing audiences since its original adaptation. It’s incredible use of puppets, brought to life by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, tells a stunning visual tale that allows full-scale horses (amongst other creatures) to breathe, walk and gallop across the stage – their flanks, hides and sinews built of steel, leather and aircraft cables. Experience the international hit as it continues its West End run at The New London Theatre.

*To view the ticket pricing details and eligible performances click here

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Up to one million set to descend on Notting Hill Carnival

Up to a million people are expected to descend on west London for the annual two-day Notting Hill Carnival which is under way.

One of the largest street festivals in Europe, it includes huge processions of Calypso dancers, floats and sound systems as well several music stages.

Family Day on Sunday will see the children parade through Notting Hill's streets

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Children's Day take place on Sunday which is followed by the adult Grand Finale parade on Bank Holiday Monday.

Transport for London said some road and Tube closures would be in place.

Image captionNotting Hill Carnival is believed to have started some time between 1964 and 1966

The event this year has come in for criticism after demanding journalists and photographers pay £100 for accreditation and share their work on the festival's website.

But organisers said it was necessary to meet the requirements of a modern sustainable carnival.

There is also some discrepancy over the year the carnival officially started.

The Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust said some people thought the first carnival dated back to 1964 while others argue it started two years later in 1966.

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Up, Up and Away For Covent Garden’s New Art Installation

French artist Charles Pétillon presents his first public art installation – and his first ever live work outside of France – in Covent Garden as 100,000 giant white balloons fill the grand interior of the 19th Century Market Building.

Weaving its way through the South Hall of the Grade II listed Market Building, Heartbeat stretches 54 metres in length and 12 metres in width, and incorporates gentle pulsating white light to symbolise the beating of a heart and reflect the history, energy and dynamism of the district.

Charles Pétillon said: “The balloon invasions I create are metaphors. Their goal is to change the way in which we see the things we live alongside each day without really noticing them. With Heartbeat I wanted to represent the Market Building as the beating heart of this area – connecting its past with the present day to allow visitors to re-examine its role at the heart of London’s life.

“Each balloon has its own dimensions and yet is part of a giant but fragile composition that creates a floating cloud above the energy of the market below. This fragility is represented by contrasting materials and also the whiteness of the balloons that move and pulse appearing as alive and vibrant as the area itself.”

A pop-up gallery on the Piazza at Unit 5, Royal Opera House Arcade, will showcase Charles’ series of Invasions photographs as well as some of his other work.

The complex yet fragile composition represents Charles’ largest and most ambitious project to date and will run from 27th August until 27th September. 

Charles is best known for Invasions, a series of arresting sculptures which challenge perceptions of everyday scenes by filling the likes of derelict houses, basketball courts and even cars with hundreds of white balloons. 

Join in the conversation using #CoventGardenBalloons @CoventGardenLDN

Random Spot - What was on TV on Friday - 18th August 1972 - 40 Years ago

BBC1

9.45 Camberwick Green - Roger Varley The Sweep
10.00 The Flashing Blade Part 5
10.25 Attenborough and Animals Part 8
10.50 Noggin and the Omruds Part 2
12.00 Show Jumping
13.00 Feature
13.30 Fingerbobs - String
13.45 New and Weather
14.00 Show Jumping
16.15 Play School
16.40 Jackanory
16.55 The Monkees
17.20 Ask Aspel - Michael Aspel
17.55 Sir Prancelot
17.50 News
18.00 South Today
18.20 Show Jumping
18.30 The Virginian - The Hell Wind
19.45 It's A Knock-Out
21.00 News and Weather
21.25 Miss United Kingdom 1972 from Blackpool
22.15 Olympia 36 Part 2 Olympic Games in Germany
23.10 News
23.15 Summer Talk
0.00 News and Weather

BBC2

11.00 Play School
17.35 Open University
20.00 One Pair of Eyes
20.45 Sport on 2
21.25 Gardeners World
21.55 The Beethoven Symphonies
23.15 News and Weather
23.20 Late Night Line-Up

SOUTHERN

11.30 York Golf Festival
12.55 News
13.00 Beloved Enemy
13.25 The Beverley Hillbilies - Super Hawg
13.50 Lets Face It
15.55 Weekend
16.00 Houseparty
16.15 Paulus
16.30 Crossroads
16.55 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Thing from Inner Space
17.50 News
18.00 Day by Day and Scene South East
18.30 Who Do You Do ?
19.00 Shut That Door !!
19.30 Weekend
19.35 Sale of the Century
20.05 The F.B.I
21.00 The Man From Haven
22.00 News at Ten
22.30 York Golf Festival
23.15 South News
23.25 The Mummy's Head - Film

Museum of London - What's on at the Museum of London

One month until The Crime Museum Uncovered!

It's just over a month until The Crime Museum Uncoveredopens at the Museum of London and this month, a programme of intriguing events and workshops has gone on sale. With curator talks, expert panels from the Metropolitan Police's Crime Museum and workshops exploring digital crime fighting, make sure you book now to experience the exhibition in full!

> See all events

What's new in September

London's Night Owls sleepover Walk in the shoes of past Londoners on 19 Sep in this special after hours’ event for children at the Museum of London. Immersive and hands-on activities throughout the night explore London’s history from the Romans to the Victorians.    >  Book now

Photography workshop After a sell-out summer event, Jo Gane returns for an early photography workshop where you can learn pinhole techniques, take shots around the Museum of London Docklands and the surrounding area and develop your own photos. >  Book now

Forgotten Thames champions Discover the stories of once-famous women swimmers from the 19th and 20th centuries who set records swimming the Thames! This free curator talk on 19 Sep explores how their legacy was lost and rediscovered.       >  Book now

New app: Museum of London postcards Create and send real postcards from the Museum of London's Photographic and Art collections, including images from the current exhibition Soldiers and Suffragettes: The Photography of Christina Broom. Available on iTunes now.         >  Book now

Billingsgate Roman House & Baths tours Join a tour of this historic Roman site, hidden in the City of London, at weekends throughout September. The site has rarely been open to the public so grab your chance to see it now! >  Book now

Your river family weekend Explore the sights, sounds and stories of the Thames at the Museum of London Docklands with free crafts, storytelling, local memories and lively performances for all ages on Sat 26 and Sun 27 Sep. >  See the full programme

Hidden London archive tour What lies beneath the Gherkin or the Olympic Park’s Velodrome? Explore archaeological secrets from beneath some of London’s most iconic buildings in this tour of the Archaeological Archive on 5 and 19 Sep. >  Book now

Video: London’s Autumn Season 2015 – a cultural season like no other The change of the season marks the beginning of London’s most exciting programme of arts, performance and culture and our exhibition The Crime Museum Uncovered has been highlighted in this video as one of the top things to see! Find out what else is happening in London this autumn from musicals to exhibitions. > Watch the video

On the blog

On the Blog: The Great Fire of London and the invention of insurance The Great Fire devastated London. There were few recorded deaths, but estimates put the destroyed property value at £10,000,000 (£1.5 billion in today’s money). From the ashes rose an unlikely development: the world’s first property insurance policies...                >  Read more

Friends of the Museum of London

Did you know? Friends of the Museum of London can book exclusive events with access to some of London's most interesting buildings, locations and tours - not usually open to the public! >  Find out more

Partner promotions

Onwards and Outwards 1-10 Sep 2015, Institute of Contemporary Arts           Onwards and Outwards is a unique programme of films made by British women filmmakers over the last 50 years. Commencing at the ICA 1-10 Sep, Onwards and Outwards is a nationwide programme of screenings, talks and events. > Find out more

LEGEND of the East End 28 Aug – 11 Sep, 133-135 Bethnal Green Road, London. Celebrating the release of LEGEND, in cinemas 9 Sep, LEGEND of the East End is an immersive and content rich free exhibition bringing the Kray legend to life in the heart of their manor for the very first time. > Find out more

The Blackthorn Key London, 1665. Potions, puzzles and explosions are all in a day's work for young apothecary Christopher Rowe. Murder is another matter... A brilliant, new adventure for readers aged 10+. > Find out more

Museum of London

Museum of London Docklands

Archaeological Archive

Huge 40ft jet of water erupts from street as water main bursts in Elephant and Castle

A massive 40-foot "geyser" erupted from the street by one of London's busiest junctions after a water main burst this morning.

A huge fountain of water about the height of three double-decker buses exploded from the road outside the Metropolitan Tabernacle baptist church at about 9.30am today, just off the Elephant and Castle roundabout.

Thames Water said it was caused by workmen digging through a 24-inch pipe and that it was working "as fast as we can" to stop the flow.

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Witnesses said water was gushing high into the air for "a good 20 minutes" and police said the jet, in Newington Butts, brought major disruption to Elephant and Castle.

Photos taken from nearby office blocks showed the stream of water rising as high as the historic church building and dwarfing a double-decker bus.

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A video taken by London SE1, a community news website covering the area, showed a workman looking up as the water towers over him.

A spokesman for Thames Water said: "We've despatched a team immediately to try and stop the water.

"We're working as fast as we can to stop the flow from our 24-inch pipe, which was damaged during work by a third party. Once we've stopped the water we can start the repair."

Witnesess said the fountain died down just before 10am, but water is still flowing.

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Source - Standard