Dartmouth and Kingswear's river tribute to the Queen surpassed all expectations as thousands of people lined the town embankments to watch the huge river parade pass.

The 60 craft of all kinds was led by the Second World War Royal Navy motor launch Fairmile with the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon Sir Richard Ibbotson on board as the Queen's representative.

At the end of the parade from Dartmouth to Dittisham and back, Sir Richard took the salute as the boats sailed past – dipping ensigns, raising their oars or simply cheering the Queen.

Kate Brown, the spokesman for the local yacht and sailing clubs which organised the major event, said: 'It was really quite moving.'

The river parade was one of the main events organised locally to celebrate the diamond jubilee as the town and surrounding villages put on their party hats to toast the Queen's 60 year reign.

They partied with everything from street parties to cream tea get togethers and barn dances to beacon lighting ceremonies... although not everything on the beacon front went according to plan.

At Dittisham, the villagers had to find a new beacon pole after the original 25ft high pole at Bozomzeal turned out to be so rotten that after one shove it fell over. Then around 100 villagers were left in the dark after a new pole was put up but the beacon would not light.

Meanwhile, in Blackawton the beacon was lit on a site behind the village hall because farmers refused to allow it to go ahead on any of the high spots around the village following what had been a lengthy dry spell.

But apart from those minor hiccups, the Dartmouth area celebrations went ahead as planned – except at Stoke Fleming where the picnic in the parish field was driven inside because of wet grass, rain and windy weather.

The huge River Dart parade was organised jointly by the Dartmouth and Royal Dart Yacht Clubs and Dittisham Sailing Club.

BBC Radio Devon broadcast live from the town in the three hours before the parade set off and TV crews were there to film the event.

'It surpassed all expectations,' said Kate. 'The banks of the river were crowded four or five deep. Everyone really enjoyed themselves.'

She said the parade of boats of all kinds managed the route to and from Dittisham without incident.

'The amazing thing was that the rowers all managed to row the five-mile route – the second half against a flood tide. They in particular got cheers.'

Around 20 extra boats tagged on to the end of the parade to make the trip and other craft moored in the river were decorated with flags and packed with people cheering the parade.

Kate added: 'The people of Dartmouth and Kingswear know how to celebrate a jubilee and the Dart at its best.'

On Monday, some of Fairview Road neighbours and friends got together for a diamond jubilee tea party in the garden of resident Janet Hall.

Everyone brought a variety of contributions for the tea, including a cake decorated with the Union Flag, and though it was a chilly afternoon they were able to enjoy themselves outside. The dress theme was red white and blue and the house and garden were decorated with festive bunting.

Rose Williams, who had organised the get-together, said 'It was a diamond do and everyone really enjoyed themselves.'

Dartmouth Over 60s celebrated the jubilee with lunch at the town's Community Corner on Friday. Sixty members sat down to ham salad, a choice of home made sweets and a jubilee cake presented by Dartmouth district councillor Melvyn Stone who is chairman of the club.

The partygoers launched into an impromptu rendition of God Save the Queen before a bingo session.

More than 100 people were at Dartmouth's Jawbones site for a barbecue and beacon lighting ceremony which was organised through Townstal Community Partnership.

Britannia Royal Naval College supplied floodlighting for the event while Sainsbury supermarket bosses supplied the food and the 'champagne' for a Queen's toast.

'It was really brilliant,' said Townstal Community Partnership secretary Julie Dean.

In Kingswear, the beacon lighting went ahead at the National Trust site at Collaton Camp where more than 100 people gathered, said parish council chairman Jonathan Hawkins.

'It was an excellent spot,' he said. 'We could see all the beacons right around to Portland Bill and you could see lots of firework displays taking place.'

More than 200 people attended the Priory Street party in Kingswear.

Cllr Hawkins added: 'I think everyone had a really good time. It was a real community spirit.'

Dittisham was this week claiming to have laid on the biggest bell-ringing jubilee royal rave up in the area, with three days of events which included riverside marquees, a floral celebration, cream teas, brass band concerts, barbecues, jubilee competitions, poetry, songs, a sailing race, a dog show and children's competitions.

Pat Heighway said: 'Dittisham was probably the best village of the whole area. What we did was over the three days and while other villages just did a tea party we did everything and it was just fantastic.'

The only let down was the beacon lighting ceremony when more than 100 people struggled up a steep hill with their picnics – only to be left in the dark.

Despite the major effort to renew the beacon pole – which was originally put up in 1988 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada and last used for the millennium celebrations in 2000 – the beacon simply refused to light.

'When push came to shove it wouldn't light,' said Pat.

In Stoke Fleming, the jubilee picnic was relocated in the village hall because of the weather.

Parish clerk Sue Tweed said: 'It rained in the morning and the grass was quite wet and it was quite cold and windy. They retreated to the village hall which was better because there was really a great atmosphere.

'People came with their picnics and they were dressed in red white and blue.

'It was a great village get-together and people were singing all the old songs.'

The event also included a band and singing youngsters from the Stoke Fleming Operatic and Dramatic Society. In the evening, around 50 people were back at the hall for a brain teasing jubilee quiz night.

Blackawton's parish council chairman Alan Mallyon said some of his village events could have done with a 'higher turn out' as only some 15 to 18 people took part in the village fancy dress parade.

But he pointed out there were 15 scarecrows in the jubilee scarecrow competition and some 60 people arrived for the beacon lighting ceremony behind the village hall.

He added: 'We had two or three venues that we looked at but the farmers were growing grass and it had been very dry when we were trying to sort it all out and I believe they were worried about the fire risk.'

In Strete, the village turned out for a mass photograph as hundreds of people gathered in the car park.

Villagers also joined a street party in Hine Town Road with a barn dance in the evening followed by a beacon lighting ceremony at Manor Farm.