Larging it at the opera

Shimmering with colour, and reaching up to 10ft high, spectacular costumes deemed too large for the Notting Hill Carnival were paraded on the Royal Opera House stage.

The intricate creations were shown as part of a day-long Jubilee Carnival Gala - part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, and intended to attract a new audience to Covent Garden.

The event also included bands from as far afield as Germany. Tony Hall, executive director of the Royal Opera House, said: "I was really keen for them to come here because it's an opening up of this place. If we can bring people into the building and they think, 'Wow' and come and see something else here, that is vitally important."