TOWNS and villages across the Waveney Valley are ready to join others across the length and breadth of the country for a very special celebration.

People in Beccles, Bungay, Loddon, Halesworth and all of the surrounding villages have been working hard to ensure the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations are remembered for a long time.

There will be street processions, large fetes, street parties and even a scarecrow festival as the community joins together for this rare occasion.

In Beccles there will be two main days of entertainment, with lots to see and do on Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday the entertainment will be in the town square with a Lotus car display, stalls and performances from comedian and compere Joe Paul, Alec The Mindreader, Lee Gibling Subminor The Human Beatbox, Andy Millar balloons, Magic and Steve Drury Magician.

On Monday there will be a grand parade from the town centre to Beccles Quay at noon.

British Legion motorbikes, a horse-drawn carriage and the newly-crowned Miss Beccles will be among the parade.

A flotilla will travel from the Lido to Beccles Sailing club from 1.30pm, while Ellough Parachutes will land at the Quay at 2.30pm.

During the afternoon's entertainment at the park there will be a range of music as well as rides, slides, food and drink.

Picnics will take place from 3pm, while the evening entertainment will begin at 6pm.

A light procession at 10pm will travel around the field, before a beacon is lit at 10.20pm.

In Bungay the highlight of the festival will be a street parade, the first since the last carnival procession in 2005.

More than 20 groups, organisations and businesses are taking part on Sunday.

They will form up at the Scales Street car park for judging at 1pm, before travelling along Popson Street, Broad Street, The Market Place, St Mary's Street, Lower Olland Street and St John's Road from 1.30pm, led by Town Crier Les Knowles and the Leiston Royal British Legion Band.

They will travel to the old grammar school field where there will be an afternoon of stalls, sideshows and traditional entertainment.

Other entertainment in Bungay includes a jubilee fete at Upland Hall and organ recital at St Mary's Church tomorrow and gala show at the Fisher Theatre on Sunday. There will also be entertainment at the Castle on Monday from 7.30pm before the lighting of a beacon at around 10pm.

On Tuesday there will be a slide show and video of royal celebrations in Bungay over the past 125 years at the Fisher Theatre

Loddon and Chedgrave will be welcoming a few unusual guests throughout the weekend as the Business Association hold a Royal Scarecrow Festival along the length of High Street, Church Plain, Bridge Street and extending to The Pits.

On Sunday there will be a Diamond Jubilee Procession, with the theme Kings and Queens, starting at the Staithe at 10.30am. This will be followed by a civic service at 11am at Holy Trinity Church, featuring a display of art and crowns by local school children, and then a picnic in Betty Potter's field.

Before this on Saturday there will be a range of celebrations at the Jubilee Hall from 2pm with a fete including a brass band, dog show and children's races.

There will also be an open air music concert from 6pm.

The hall will also be holding entertainment on Sunday with a tea dance from 2-4pm, disco from 5.30-8pm and diamond club from 9pm.

On Monday Langley Road will be closed for a street party while Langley School will be lighting a beacon between 10-10.30pm.

Halesworth kick start their celebrations with a free concert from Debbie Lambert at St Mary's Church tonight from 7pm. She will be singing songs from the '30s, '40s and '50s.

A festival of flowers will grace St Mary's Church from tomorrow until Monday, with special guided tours of the church tower tomorrow.

On Sunday the community will come together in the Market Place for a free buffet lunch from 12.30pm.

There will be music from Pangaea and Freya Roy, a release of doves at 2.15pm, parade of uniformed organisations, quarter peal of bells at 2.30pm, and civic service in St Mary's Church at 3.30pm.

On Monday the town's celebrations will end with a bang at the Millennium Green.

From 7pm there will be a bonfire with music from TTBM and Freya Roy and a barbecue before the fireworks at 10pm.

Line-up of events:

BECCLES:

SUNDAY – Entertainment in the square from noon

MONDAY – A grand parade from the town centre to the quay with music at 2pm, and evening entertainment staring at 6pm. A flotilla from the Lido to Beccles Sailing Club takes place at 1.30pm, while Ellough Parachutes land on the field at 2.30pm. There will also be a range of displays and entertainment. A light procession takes place at 10pm with the beacon lighting at 10.20pm.

BUNGAY:

TOMORROW – Jubilee fete at Upland Hall from 2.30-5pm. Organ recital by Tim Patient at St Mary's Church at 7.30pm.

SUNDAY – Jubilee street procession takes place, from Scales Street at 1.30pm. It will go the old grammar school field where there will be a picnic and fete until 5pm. The Fisher Theatre will welcome a gala show at 7.30pm.

MONDAY – Music and food at the Castle from 7.30pm with a beacon lit at around 10pm, followed by fireworks.

TUESDAY – Slide show and video of Royal celebrations in Bungay at the Fisher Theatre. Diamond Jubilee dinner at 7.45pm.

HALESWORTH:

TODAY - Debbie Lambert in free concert at St Mary's Church - 7pm.

TOMORROW - MONDAY - Festival of Flowers in St Mary's Church.

SUNDAY - Buffet lunch in the Market Place from 12.30pm, release of doves at 2.15pm, parade of uniformed organisations, quarter peal of bells at 2.30pm, and civic service in St Mary's Church at 3.30pm.

MONDAY - Bonfire on the Millennium Green with music and barbecue from 7pm, fireworks at 10pm.

LODDON:

TOMORROW – TUESDAY - Loddon & District Business Association will be holding a Royal Scarecrow Festival trail.

TOMORROW - Jubilee Hall fete from 2pm, with an open air music concert from 6pm.

SUNDAY - Diamond Jubilee Procession starting at the Staithe at 10.30am, a civic service at Holy Trinity Church at 11am, and celebratory picnic in Betty Potter's field.

A tree will be planted in the Millennium Gardens at 2pm.

Jubilee Hall tea dance from 2-4pm and disco from 5.30-8pm, with the diamond club from 9pm

MONDAY - Crowns and Cakes in the Church Rooms, Chedgrave at 4pm, while Langley Road is to be closed between 9am and 5pm for a street party. A plaque will also be incorporated in the parish sign at Chedgrave to honour Jack Barwick at 2pm.

Langley School will be lighting a beacon between 10-10.30pm.