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| Winter solstice celebrated at Stonehenge | Winter solstice celebrated at Stonehenge |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People are gathering at Stonehenge later to mark the winter solstice. | People are gathering at Stonehenge later to mark the winter solstice. |
| More revellers than usual are predicted to congregate at Salisbury Plain this year as the date coincides with the end of the 5,125-year "Long Count" cycle of the Mayan calendar. | More revellers than usual are predicted to congregate at Salisbury Plain this year as the date coincides with the end of the 5,125-year "Long Count" cycle of the Mayan calendar. |
| Druids and pagans are among those who head to Stonehenge each December to watch the sunrise on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. | |
| Druid leader King Arthur Pendragon will be leading the celebrations. | Druid leader King Arthur Pendragon will be leading the celebrations. |
| He said he would be making a "political statement" which he hoped would be heard around the world. | He said he would be making a "political statement" which he hoped would be heard around the world. |
| 'Stay together' | 'Stay together' |
| "I will be asking for an end to war, an end to economic slavery and, basically, a cleaner, greener planet." | "I will be asking for an end to war, an end to economic slavery and, basically, a cleaner, greener planet." |
| This year's solstice date also marks the conclusion of the Long Count cycle of the Mayan calendar, which some people believe indicates the end of the world. | This year's solstice date also marks the conclusion of the Long Count cycle of the Mayan calendar, which some people believe indicates the end of the world. |
| Although the exact time of the solstice this year - when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun - is at 11:11 GMT, English Heritage will be providing access to the stones earlier in the morning. | Although the exact time of the solstice this year - when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun - is at 11:11 GMT, English Heritage will be providing access to the stones earlier in the morning. |
| The National Trust has asked people who do not normally visit for the solstice to be fully prepared for poor weather conditions. | |
| General manager Jan Tomlin said: "We suggest that anybody wanting to celebrate the solstice should bring extra layers to wear, check the weather forecast before you go and, if you are visiting with friends, stay together." | General manager Jan Tomlin said: "We suggest that anybody wanting to celebrate the solstice should bring extra layers to wear, check the weather forecast before you go and, if you are visiting with friends, stay together." |
| Last year more than 1,000 people visited Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice. |