GUNS thundered over the ancient capital of the North as the British Army celebrated the Queen's birthday.

Crowds gathered to watch the spectacular 21-gun salute in York’s Museum Gardens, hosted by 4 Infantry Brigade and HQ North East.

The Band of the King’s Division, led by the director of music, Captain Stewart Halliday, performed a marching display through the city, entertaining the crowds with stirring military music before arriving at the Museum Gardens.

At the stroke of noon the saluting troop from 3/29 (Corunna) Battery, 4 Regiment Royal Artillery, started firing 21 rounds at 10-second intervals from three 105 mm light guns, and as the final shots echoed along the banks of the River Ouse, the national anthem was played.

Troop commander Lieutenant James Harrison said: “The battery are proud to be representing 4 Regiment Royal Artillery as saluting troop this week. It is always an honour to fire a salute in a city as great as York, and especially so on such an auspicious occasion as the Queen’s birthday.”

The 21-gun Royal Salute took place simultaneously at 11 other saluting stations around the country - but York is the only such station in the North of England, and was given the honour to commemorate the 1,900th anniversary of the city in 1971.