THE Mayor of Wellington, Cllr Mark Lithgow, is leading a procession of councillors and residents on Sunday from the town council offices in Fore Street to St John’s Church.

The procession will start at 1.45 pm and the whole community is being invited to take part. At 2 pm, the Mayor will read a proclamation of accession of King Charles III outside the church and will announce the Books of Condolences which have been placed inside the church and also declare where floral trubutes should be laid.

Ahead of the proclamation, flowers have started to be left in the town centre on an area in High Street outside the Royal Mail sorting office which the town council uses for public events. One simply read ‘Thank you Ma’am’.

St John’s is opening daily from 10 am to 4 pm (and from 9 am Wednesday) for residents to sign their condolences and a space is being made available for prayer.

The Books of Condolences will be closed at 1 pm on Tuesday, September 20.Town council committee meetings scheduled for September 20 are being postponed because official notice cannot be given during the period of national mourning.

Wellington Monument has been lit up by the National Trust and will remain illuminated until after the Queen’s funeral.