THE Queen received the warmest of welcomes from hundreds of young people as she arrived in Walthamstow on her Diamond Jubilee tour today.

Union Flags and banners declaring ‘Waltham Forest Welcomes You’ were waved by crowds as Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a special lunch at Waltham Forest town hall.

Pupils from the borough’s schools formed the majority of those gathered on grass verges and cheered as the royal car was driven around the fountain.

The Queen later told council leader Chris Robbins that the noise was deafening and likened it to a pop concert.

After being greeted by Waltham Forest mayor Cllr Geoff Walker, Cllr Robbins and chief executive Martin Esom at 11.30am, she accepted bunches of flowers from schoolchildren.

Bonnie Euesden, aged eight, of Roger Ascham Primary School in Walthamstow was one of the children chosen to make a presentation.

She said: "It was really exciting because I had never seen the Queen before. She was very nice to me."

Her Majesty was also handed a card by fellow pupil Rashmina Khanam, aged nine.

"I will never forget this day," she said.

The royal party then attended a drinks reception before lunch with 250 community leaders.