A naval crew yesterday manned a field gun and fired a Royal salute for the first time in more than 100 years to mark the anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

Four Royal Navy seamen from HMS York and 12 gunners from the 40th Regiment of the Royal Artillery, Thirsk, staged the 21-gun salute in York Museum Gardens to commemorate the ceremony on June 2, 1953.

As the Lord Mayor of York, Janet Looker, officially started the salute, a hush fell over the 500-strong crowd of spectators.

As York Minster chimed noon, the Navy fired a round from one of four 105mm light guns.

It was the first time a Royal Navy crew had manned a field gun since the Relief of Ladysmith, which happened during the Boer War in 1899.

After the ceremony, the King's Division Normandy Band, from Preston, which had earlier marched through the city, struck up the national anthem.

Commanding Officer Matt Harvey, from HMS York, said: ''This is usually exclusively an Army event but we were invited to provide a gun crew, of which we are immensely proud.''

Petty Officer Kevin Williams, who was in charge of number one gun for yesterday's ceremony, said: ''We have worked very hard and we have made a bit of history.''

Operator Mechanic Iain Meakin, 26, said: ''They call it a light gun but it's not very light. It takes six men to move it."

York, which was granted saluting status in 1971, is the only city outside the four UK capitals where such a ceremony can be held.