A RED, white and blue sparkling top hat and sky blue sequin-clad matching tails were the order of the day for a Petersfield royalist this week.

David Weeks, the town's very own distinctive ringmaster, made sure of his place in the crowd outside Westminster Abbey for the special service to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

Dressed in his jewelled regalia, David joined thousands from around the world enjoying the warm sunshine to watch the Queen and Prince Philip and other members of the royal family arrive and leave the famous London landmark.

"The Queen looked as lovely as always," said David.

And he has the programme to prove he was there.

"I asked someone who was in the congregation when they left Westminster Abbey if I could see the order of service and they gave it to me," said an ecstatic Mr Weeks.

Now with something as well as memories to treasure for the rest of his life, Mr Weeks continued: "I wouldn't have missed it for the world, there were people there from all over the world enjoying themselves."

Interviewed by more than 40 reporters from around the world for radio and television, Mr Weeks said the experience was "unbelievable".

"I was there for about an hour-and-a-half speaking to reporters from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and other places from this country and abroad."

But the day didn't entirely go according to plan.

Mr Weeks, who decided on the spur of the moment to join in the celebrations because it was such a beautiful day, caught an early train to London.

But, said Mr Weeks, who worked at Petersfield station for many years as a porter: "I realised I had left my train pass at home and had to go back to Petersfield to pick it up!"

The slight hitch didn't spoil his day and he was outside the abbey at 9.30am and in good time to catch all the action.

"It just makes you very proud to be British!" he said.