CHILDREN gaily waved their Union Jacks and streamers as the south joined the nation on the streets, clapping and cheering with joy to celebrate the day Britain crowned a new queen.

In Southampton 2,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and members of civil and voluntary organisations - a number not seen since the victory parade at the end of the Second World War - marched through the city to the sound of four bands, as Sotonians in their thousands waved them on.

In the south's very own royal city of Winchester, people of all generations partied like they'd never partied before to welcome young Elizabeth II to the throne.

"Bishop's Waltham rang with gaiety and laughter," reported the Southern Daily Echo, recalling the great day - Tuesday, June 2, 1953 - when the 27-year-old princess became Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

It was the day the nation united in celebration - and more than 20 million added to the multitudes in the heart of London who watched as the newly-crowned Queen appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, four-year-old Prince Charles and his baby sister, Princess Anne.

Not many on that day could have foreseen that 50 years on - in the year 2002 - the nation would be preparing to celebrate once again as Queen Elizabeth reaches her golden anniversary as Britain's sovereign leader.

The incredible atmosphere of excitement which gripped the nation is reflected in reports in the Southern Daily Echo from June 1953, when the paper even found itself apologising to readers for not being able to answer invitations to attend more than 60 coronation parties.

The Daily Echo printed a list - "to explain that we just CANNOT attend all coronation parties" - and, in an attempt not to raise hopes, suggested that "we might manage one or two".

There were street parties across Southampton, with children sitting down to tea and coronation cake, and taking part in fancy dress competitions from Shirley to Northam and Eling, while nearly 200 babies were entered into the coronation baby show organised by the Woolston and District Carnival and Regatta Association at Itchen Grammar School.

The partying continued long into the early hours of the following day in Winchester, as "the city went gayer than at any time within living memory". On Coronation Day the city staged a carnival like no other, with merry makers descending on the Broadway from all parts of Winchester and the surrounding villages to dance in the street.

Newport was the focus for celebrations on the Isle of Wight, with several thousand packing St James's Square for an open-air dance, while a huge crowd went to Church Litten for a football tournament organised by Newport FC. There were tea parties and games for the 2,700 children in the borough, while the biggest single party was in Mountjoy, where 700 children enjoyed sports activities and tea.

Among other ways people in the south celebrated were a gala coronation dance in the pavilion at Southampton's Royal Pier on Coronation Day itself, a coronation ball at the Royal Pier on June 5, a Coronation ball at Southampton Guildhall, and a coronation funfair at the Royal Pier recreation ground.

More than 2,000 people braved grey skies and cold winds on Wednesday, June 3 to welcome movie legend Joan Collins - then "the young star of Turn the Key Softly" - to Watts Park for Southampton's coronation garden party with the band of the Coldstream Guards.