A JAM-PACKED week of celebrations is being staged in Bicester to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday and the official opening of Bicester Library and Garth Park café.

Performances from schoolchildren at the library, a community parade, and band music are among the events.

There is also a concert by the Oxfordshire Youth Orchestra inside a historic Second World War hangar at Bicester Heritage on Saturday.

Bicester Town councillor Richard Mould said: "This will be the first opportunity for the people of Bicester to see the youth orchestra play a full symphony concert in the town and we hope it will be the first of many.

"It was a traditional last night of the proms-style concert and all proceeds will be going back into the youth orchestra."

The town mayor’s civic service took place on Sunday at St Edburg’s Church.

This was followed by the parade through Market Square, and at 1pm the official opening of the Garth Park café took place.

Councillor Mould said: "It’s been a fantastic, popular café and its success has gone way beyond our expectations."

Yesterday saw the official opening of the library in Crown Walk, which has attracted 1,000 new members since April.

Schoolchildren dressed up as storybook characters for a trumpet fanfare at 10.30am and there was busking from The Cooper School and Longfields School choir.

Sessions from Rhyme Time and The Dogs Trust will be at the library today and from 6.30pm Brookside School and the Bicester Concert Band will perform on the bandstand in Garth Park.

Musical sessions will run throughout tomorrow morning at the library before a performance from Bicester Music Club and a talk from author Faith Martin.

Langford Village Schoolchildren will perform on Thursday in the library with Ask An Archivist being hosted before bedtime stories in the evening.

The fun continues on Friday when there will be Shakespeare-themed busking by Glory Farm Primary School and a Thomas the Tank storytime session.

Cas Lester’s children’s story time will take place on Saturday, then the grand finale concert will round off the week.

Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for cultural services Lorraine Lindsay-Gale said: "These events are about celebrating the arrival of this fantastic new community building.

"Facilities like we now have in Bicester can serve as a real focal point for local communities to access a range of county council services as well as engaging in other activities."

The concert will run from 6.30pm but visitors are invited into Bicester Heritage from 4.30pm to picnic in the grounds. Tickets costing £10 can be bought from the Garth Park council offices.

The celebrations close with a guided walk by Bicester History Society on Sunday from 2.30pm.