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6 months ago
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Thousands gather to watch Stonehenge solstice sunrise
About 15,000 people have gathered at Stonehenge to watch the summer solstice sunrise.
English Heritage opens up the stones every year for visitors to enjoy the solstice at the historic site near Salisbury in Wiltshire.
It went ahead as normal after Just Stop Oil protestors sprayed orange powder paint on the stones on Wednesday.
English Heritage said it had removed the paint with a specialist air blower, but if rain had come into contact with it, there could have been significant damage.
Summer solstice is one of the rare occasions when people can get close to the ancient monument.
An estimated 15,000 people visited Stonehenge for the summer solstice on Friday morning
It is one of the rare occasions when visitors can get close to the stones and even touch them in some cases
People come from all over the world to see the summer solstice at the 5,000 year old site.
Tammy McCall said she had travelled about 5,000 miles from Washington in the US specifically for the event.
“It’s amazing. When I was able to touch the stones, it just felt so emotional, incredible.
"I just felt called to come, this is a bucket list trip.”
Many watch the sunset the evening before and stay overnight to see the sunrise
The site opened on Thursday evening and there was a crowd for the sunset, with many staying throughout the night to watch the sunrise on Friday morning.
The sounds of drumming and cheers from the crowd could be heard as the sun came up.
Druids and other members of the pagan community gathered too, with the event a spiritual time for many.
Other places in the West Country also attract solstice crowds, in particular at Avebury, also in Wiltshire, and Glastonbury Tor in Somerset.
Avebury is also a popular spot to watch the solstice
There were gatherings around the West - including at Glastonbury Tor in Somerset
