After a gloomy, freezing winter and the seemingly never-ending tide of economic bad news, county residents finally have something to smile about.

The sun is out and celebrations for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee are getting into full swing.

Oxfordshire will come together this weekend to celebrate the remarkable reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Councils have received dozens of applications for street parties across the county and the plans that have been put in place should make it an enjoyable Bank Holiday weekend.

It is great to see Her Majesty even dipping into her own pocket to help with church repairs in Leafield.

And county residents are set to show their continued support for The Queen and The Royal Family with a host of Jubilee celebrations this weekend.

City residents cheered on civic leaders in a procession on Saturday that set the celebrations in motion.

Of course, some republicans will sneer at the whole event, but at their heart, the Jubilee events are about community spirit.

Whatever your views are on the monarchy, it will be great to see Oxfordshire come together and celebrate.

Meanwhile, it is also good news that the memorial bell is almost ready to be installed at the memorial garden on the edge of Carterton.

Thousands of people have gathered at the garden for repatriations of fallen servicemen and we think the bell, largely funded by the generous public, will add a great deal of dignity to the ceremony.

Although we hope the bell will never have to toll, if it does it will again prove how much Oxfordshire cares.