Royal wedding celebrations are underway in Bradford as crowds gather outside Westminster Abbey ahead of today’s ceremony.

Allerton Children’s Centre began the festivities yesterday when it hosted a party in Ladyhill Park with donkey rides, face painting, games and a picnic for families.

Children aged from six months and adults aged up to 92 took part in the community celebration, which was organised by the centre’s staff and parents’ forum.

Centre head Dave Morrison said: “We had a wide spread of cultures and ages. We had members of the Eastern European, Asian and Caribbean communities taking part. Any chance we can to aid community cohesion we will do.”

At Springfield Care Home in Buttershaw, residents enjoyed a wedding-themed coffee morning and banquet.

Harry Mitchell, 100, who lives at the home, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the event it has been a great day, I enjoyed the meal it was a good spread, the service from the staff was excellent I want to say a massive thank you to everyone. It was good to do something different.”

Youngsters in Holme Wood planted more than 60 red, white and blue pansies by a shopping parade in Broadstone Way.

Pam Riley, administrator for the Holme Wood Executive, who organised the event, said: “We thought it would be a nice little project to highlight the Royal Wedding. The children loved it. It’s really brightened up the shopping parade.”

A full day of celebrations took place at St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School in Allerton.

Pupils performed in the final of a royal variety talent show and were judged by a panel made up of six ‘members’ of the royal family.

Acts included Irish dancing, singing, break dancing, skating and comedy.

Youngsters Clarisse Bajet, six, and Bradley Raistrick, nine, were then ‘married’ in an outdoor wedding ceremony before pupils tucked in at a street party-style celebration in the school hall.

Staff and children came dressed in red, white and blue or wedding outfits.

Head teacher Katy Cox said: “We think the Royal Wedding is something to celebrate and it’s made our school community really happy, it’s wonderful.”

Street parties were to be held across the district today with events planned in Wibsey, Thackley, Cullingworth, Baildon and Burley-in-Wharfedale.

One of the district’s largest events was to be a £4,000 community celebration in Ilkley with afternoon tea and cake served from a marquee in The Grove from 3pm.

The City of Bradford Brass Band were to perform throughout the afternoon with up to 1,000 people expected to descend on the town centre for the party. Organisers have asked people to bring their own tables and chairs.

Meanwhile, Mandy Stack gathered her girl pals together for a girls’ night in – with a difference.

She and her pal Gaynor had been discussing getting together ahead of Kate and William’s nuptials and decided to organise a party where they could all wear their wedding dresses once again.

“You only ever wear your wedding dress for one day so they were all excited about getting their dresses out again,” says Mandy.

She had her gown altered to wear at her husband’s 40th birthday celebrations so instead she bought one ‘and it fitted like a glove,’ says Mandy.

Many of her 17 guests were also improvising with their gowns as they had not worn them for years. For others it was the chance to buy a new outfit.

Mandy also trimmed up her Ford S-Max with ribbons for the do yesterday evening to chauffeur all the girls to her Cleckheaton home which she decorated with union jack bunting.

She also set up a marquee in the garden and even had a wedding cake specially created for the occasion by her pal Charlotte Preston whose mum made the cake and Charlotte decorated it with her original wedding cake decorations.

“There’s a real buzz about it,” said Mandy.

There will only be one place to buy a pint in Otley today – as all the town’s pubs will change their name in honour of the royal wedding. All 17 pubs in the town will be called ‘The Yorkshire Princess’ for one day only in honour of Miss Middleton, whose family has West Yorkshire connections.

e-mail: hannah.baker @telegraphandargus.co.uk