Thousands visit Sandringham to pay respects

Thousands of people continue to make their way to Sandringham to leave floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The estate has been the traditional Christmas home for the Royal Family.

But estate officials have asked the public to ensure all plastic is removed from bouquets.

In a statement, the estate says: “Please consider arriving with the wrapping already removed from floral tributes.”

It adds: “Any form of floral tribute is acceptable. In the interests of sustainability, we ask visitors to only lay organic or compostable material.

“Removing the wrapping will aid the longevity of the flowers and will assist in subsequent composting which will start in the days following the date of the funeral and clearing of flowers daily thereafter.

“Once floral tributes are removed, they will be taken for processing to remove any remaining packaging, cards and labels and to separate plant material for composting.”

On Monday, the estate will close for the funeral.