Notting Hill Carnival Braced For Heavy Rain

It was an overcast but dry start to the Notting Hill Carnival in west London – as young children and their parents got dressed up for Family Day.

But as revellers descend on the streets for Monday's festivities, it could be quite wet, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for heavy rain and possible thundery showers during the afternoon.

The Met Office's chief forecaster has warned up to 40mm of rain could fall in just a few hours, which is more than half of the average rainfall for the whole of August.

Despite the damp outlook, up to a million people are expected to visit Notting Hill over the bank holiday weekend.

William Medley, who brought his three-year-old son to Family Day, said: "It's an opportunity for kids to run around and see something different, interact with different people and experience the food, smells, sounds and dancing.

"It's a fantastic party atmosphere."

There has been a strong police presence throughout west London in advance of Monday's celebrations, where there have been instances of gang-related violence in previous years.

Earlier this week, dozens of arrests were made in dawn raids throughout the capital in an attempt to prevent potential troublemakers from heading to the event.