East Midlands: People continue to pay tribute to the Queen

Tributes are continuing to appear across the East Midlands following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Flowers, cards, marmalade sandwiches, drawings and carefully crafted postbox toppers are just some of the items people have used to show their affection.

Others have been sharing stories of their encounters with the monarch and council buildings have been lit up in purple ahead of Monday's state funeral.

A Loughborough Grammar School teacher has recalled meeting the Queen when he was a pupil at the school and receiving a "gentle ribbing" over a practical joke involving her Corgis.

Daniel Murphy - now head of history at the school - said she had a "very human sense of humour" when looking back on his meeting with the head of state in 1996.

The then head boy said the Queen teased him over lunch about whether he was behind a practical joke in which a teacher had been sent kennelling and feeding requirements for her Corgis.

He also had the daunting task of shouting "three cheers for Her Majesty" before presenting a crystal vase as a gift in front of his peers.

What he didn't know at the time, was that some of the catering staff were laying bets on whether he would drop it or not.

"I need not have been nervous - the Queen was simply lovely," he said.

"She also revealed a very human sense of humour, spending much of the meal gently ribbing me about the practical joke that had been played on Mr Ireland and suggesting I had been behind it all.

"She exuded gravitas and majesty of course, but the lady I remember at that lunch was all warmth, humour and humanity - and with a slightly impish glint in the eye.

"It may sound trite, but she positively twinkled. What a person, what an experience."

In Mickleover, Derby, people have been continuing to honour the Queen with cards, flowers and drawings by young children.

A marmalade sandwich, in reference to her appearance with Paddington Bear, has also been left in her memory.

A hand-knitted postbox topper with the Queen and a Coldstream Guard has also been placed on Uttoxeter Road.

The creator of the topper is still anonymous and councillors in the area want them to come forward.

Mickleover councillor Matthew Holmes said: "It was made for the Jubilee earlier this year but it's been updated to show the Union Jack at half-mast. It's a brilliant touch.

"It's such a lovely gesture to mark the Queen's passing but we don't actually know who's done it.

"We'd love for them to come forward so we can give them credit and thank them."

Paddington Bear also featured in another postbox topper tribute - this time in Farnsfield, near Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Flowers have also been left at Long Eaton's war memorial, with a book of condolence open in the town hall until the day after her state funeral.

Meanwhile some public buildings have been lit up in purple in tribute to the Queen, including County Hall in Glenfield, Leicestershire, City Hall in Leicester and Normanton Church at Rutland Water.

Photographer Richard Brown, who has been working with the nature reserve to illuminate the church, lit up the landmark in the official Platinum Jubilee colours to mark the Queen's 70-year reign in June.

He said he did not expect to be back three months later for a remembrance display.

Mr Brown said it was "sad the Queen has passed", adding it was "moving" to see the iconic building illuminated on Saturday.

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