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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Winter solstice celebrated at Stonehenge | Winter solstice celebrated at Stonehenge |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Some 5,000 people have gathered at Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice. | |
| More revellers than usual were predicted to congregate at Salisbury Plain 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. | 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 is 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." |
| BBC Radio Wiltshire reporter Annie Weston said: "This is the only time when people are allowed into the circle of stones. | |
| "It is absolutely packed. People are cheering and chanting and everybody was looking towards the sun for that special moment. | |
| "There are flags flying, druids here too and people of various religions and faiths." | |
| She spoke with Shelby, from Honolulu in Hawaii, who said it was "the perfect day". | |
| "All my friends are very jealous that I am here. They would love to be here. They told me to take 1,000 photos which I think I've done," she said. | |
| Donna Nickleson, from Swindon, woke up at 03:00 GMT to get to the stones on time. | |
| She said it was "exciting" to be there for the "new birth of a new era". | |
| Axial tilt | |
| 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 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. | Last year more than 1,000 people visited Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice. |