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The four-year-old who lit a cannon for the King

BBC A young boy with blonde hair and wearing a grey Mickey Mouse jumper and a blue puffer jacket. He is smiling at the camera and holding the hand of a woman who is out of shot. There is a large swathe of grass and some trees in soft focus behind him.BBC
Four-year-old Oscar lit the last of 21 cannons in Windsor

The mother of a four-year-old boy who lit a cannon as part of King Charles III's birthday celebrations said it was "lovely" to watch.

Jo's son, Oscar, was one of 20 people chosen on a first-come-first-served basis to light one of the cannons on the Long Walk in Windsor, Berkshire, on Thursday.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Town Crier Chris Brown said it was "a fun tradition that gets the youngsters involved".

There were 21 cannons in total, with the first lit by mayor Simon Bond.

A small cannon, about the size of a brick, at the point of explosion, with an orange fireball about two feet away. There's a whole row of the small cannons, with crowds of people watching from behind a cordon. A man in a suit stands next to the cannon that has exploded.
About 100 people watched the event on Windsor's Long Walk

Jo said she and Oscar were just walking in the area "and we were lucky enough to be given a number and selected to light the last cannon".

"It was nice to see [Oscar] take part in something that's part of history and celebrating the king," she said.

She said the cannons were "incredibly noisy".

"We were very grateful for the ear defenders," she added.

A close-up shot of one of the small cannons on the grass next to the road. There is a crowd of people in the background and it is a sunny day.
The cannons were "incredibly noisy", Jo said

Mr Brown said the event went "amazingly".

"When we have these traditions, such as lighting cannons for the King's birthday, people come, and for different people its a different thing," he said.

"Some people just enjoy the spectacle and the noise but some people really appreciate the fact that we've been doing it for so long."

He said the tradition of firing cannons dated back "hundreds of years".

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Town Crier Chris Brown with a white beard and wearing a purple and gold coat, a white scarf and a black feather hat. He is ringing a hand bell. It is a sunny day and there is a small group of people, some trees and a blue sky behind him.
Mr Brown said the event went "amazingly"

"When the little kids can really come and start to see what traditions are like, and how fun they are, hopefully this'll start a process that'll lead them through a lifetime of enjoying great events," Mr Brown continued.

"[It's] part of what makes this country a bit special."

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