Festivities are planned for Totnes over the four-day holiday weekend in June, as Elizabeth II becomes the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne.

The 95-year-old Queen was actually crowned on February 6, 1952, after George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham.

But the first week in June has been chosen for her platinum celebrations, with the summer offering a better chance of good weather.

The nationwide royal extravaganza will run from June 2 to 5 – with an extra Bank Holiday – and includes Trooping the Colour, a jubilee pageant in London, a live concert at Buckingham Palace and street parties and picnics galore across the UK.

It will begin with beacon lightings across the country, including Totnes, and in many Commonwealth countries at sunset on Friday June 2

Trees are also being planted in the town as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy scheme which invites people from across the United Kingdom to plant a tree for the jubilee.

And the town council will encourage townsfolk to join in with the celebrations by hosting big lunch street parties in their neigbourhoods.

Speaking at the recent Town Matters committee, Cllr Pip Payne hailed the plans a “great opportunity” for the town to celebrate the historic jubilee – the likes of which may never be seen again.

Cllr David Matthews said he remembered celebrating the Queen’s Coronation as a youngster in Cornwall.

“We had a big day out in the village,” he said. “I was three-and-a-half, all of us kids had a huge bun and a little cup to take home.”

Sara Halliday, the council’s governance and projects manager, said organising a street party was easier than some people may think.

“There are a lot of the urban myths about street parties needing licences and insurances and all of that sort of stuff but the government has updated quite a lot of guidance to say, actually, if you are a bunch of residents doing something in your area, you don’t need all this,” she explained.

Speaking at the full council meeting, where the proposals were considered, Mayor Cllr Ben Piper, a qualified pyrotechnician, volunteered to light the beacon.

Cllr Ray Hendriksen though, said he wanted nothing to do with the jubilee celebrations.

He stated: “The only aspect of this nonsense that I will have anything to do with will be the tree planting which is useful for the community.

“The rest of it – she has done nothing in her entire life, either micro or macro activity, to help the nation.

“I will have nothing to do with her jubilee. I must make that personal statement.”

Cllr Emily Price responded: “I will just say Ray, my personal feelings on this are not necessarily public as I do represent, as do we all, the people of this town and there are many, many people who would like to see the occasion marked, and whilst I wouldn’t recommend throwing a huge amount of money on it I think it’s important to recognise the sentiments of all of our constituents.”

The majority voted in favour of the celebrations. Cllrs Hendriksen and John Cummings abstained.