Published at 11:12, Thursday, 07 June 2012

SAILING down the Thames in a Royal pageant has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for two Copeland ambassadors.

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Kate Wallace, 17, and county councillor Norman Clarkson joined thousands of others at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on Sunday.

They were on board Windermere’s Queen of the Lake boat, one of the 1,000 vessels sailing down the Thames for the prestigious event.

Coun Clarkson said: “Despite the fact that it rained so much, it was absolutely fantastic. The organisation and security was great.”

The pair, along with Kate’s mother Jayne, boarded the boat early on Sunday. They joined dignitaries including Cumbria’s Lord Lieutenant Sir James Cropper and his wife.

Their vessel was decorated with an array of bright yellow giant daffodils and a replica of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit to show Cumbria’s colourful heritage.

Kate, a pupil at St Benedict’s School, said: “It was absolutely brilliant. It’s such a lovely boat and it was a very special occasion. You can’t really have a proper British celebration without it raining!”

The pageant included rowing boats, historic boats and working historic boats.

Kate said: “There was a row of four boats in our section and we were the closest to the Queen. As we were travelling down the Thames, there were more and more people on the riverside watching us. The atmosphere was electric.”

Coun Clarkson said: “The rowing boats sailed past first, then there was the historic boats, followed by the historic working boats, which included the one we were on. By the time we got down past Battersea Power Station and the House of Commons, it was raining heavily. The Lord Lieutenant asked me to give three cheers to Her Majesty, the Queen.

“I think the Queen stood up for three hours as a mark of respect for the entire nation.

“If I had the chance to take part again, my answer would be yes. It was a fantastic day. Everyone made the day shine, not the sun.

“I am proud that Kate accompanied me. She has done so well for her GCSEs and she is a lovely girl,” he said.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk