A BUN-THROWING celebration is being planned in Abingdon to mark the Queen’s official 90th birthday.

Ever since the 1761 coronation of King George III, civic leaders have marked major royal occasions by hurling buns off the roof of the County Hall building to crowds below.

The last bun-throwing from the museum roof took place in the rain on June 3, 2012, to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and 6,000 buns were chucked down to people in the Market Place.

Now town councillors are planning the next throwing session, to mark the Queen’s official 90th birthday next year.

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The second weekend of June 2016 will see a series of events to mark the special occasion.

They will include a Trooping the Colour ceremony in Horse Guards Parade in London on Saturday, June 11, also known as the Queen’s Birthday Parade.

Abingdon Town Council leader Sandy Lovatt said: “We have sounded out the office of the Lord Lieutenant, Tim Stevenson, and he has indicated that bun-throwing would be an appropriate way to celebrate on the Saturday.

“Councillors haven’t voted on this yet but I expect we will agree this at our meeting on September 30 – I would like to see it happen.”

Oxford Mail:

Crowds congregating in 2012

Mr Lovatt previously confirmed that said bun-throwing would not take place to mark the Queen becoming the longest-reigning monarch.

He said at the time: “I think she is being fairly modest about that, so we are now working towards a bun-throwing in June."

In terms of next year's celebration, he added: “It was raining hard for the last one so we are hoping that the weather will be much better on the second weekend in June.”

Mr Lovatt’s wife Monica, also a town councillor, was mayor in 2012 when buns were thrown to mark the Diamond Jubilee.

She said: “It’s a great tradition in the town and I know people will really look forward to another bun-throwing.

“Every mayor wants a bun-throwing – I will never forget the cheer that went up when I gave the crowd a wave in 2012 – there were thousands of people packing the Market Place.

“Bun throwing will be a fitting tribute to the Queen - I expect Alice Badcock will be mayor for the Queen’s official 90th birthday.”

Crowds also filled the market place in 2011 when bun-throwing was staged to mark the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29.