Notting Hill Carnival ends with 440 arrests over Bank Holiday weekend

The sun set on hundreds of thousands of revellers who danced the Bank Holiday weekend away at Notting Hill Carnival.

A parade of floats and brightly-dressed performers snaked their way through the streets of west London as part of the Caribbean-inspired celebration.

But festivities at Europe's biggest street party were marred by 440 arrests across the two-day event - many relating to drugs and offensive weapons.

Ambulance crews and St John Ambulance staff also treated more than 1,000 people, most for alcohol-related illnesses and injuries.

Scotland Yard said 156 arrests were made on Sunday, while as of 11.45pm on Monday there were 284 arrests.

Some people were arrested for more than one offence, and 26 knives were seized.

Police said there were four incidents involving people being stabbed, two of which involved teenagers.

On Sunday a 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of GBH after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed on Wornington Road in Kensington and Chelsea, while the same day two boys aged 15 and 16 were stabbed in Ladbroke Grove. None is in a life-threatening condition, police said.

Sixty four people were also arrested during the carnival for having an offensive weapon, while there were six arrests for sexual offences and 17 for assaults on police.

Met Police licensing officers also seized a large canister of compressed nitrous oxide on Queensway. Officers understand that the canister had the capacity to fill 2,250 small canisters, representing a street value of over £150,000.

Around 1,000 small nitrous oxide canisters and associated paraphernalia were seized in a number of separate operations.

As the street party came to a close on Monday evening, carnival-goers kept on dancing.

Revellers watched the colourful parade from balconies on Ladbroke Grove while people of all ages took to the streets to celebrate.

Colette Ford from Salisbury was among those taking part in the carnival. Dressed in an elaborate Dominator costume which cost £170 to match a 50 Shades Of Paradise float, she said: "It's a lovely amazing atmosphere to be part of a truck."

Meanwhile keen dancer Jasmin Castrioty, 25, said she had loved her first experience of carnival, saying: "The rhythm is absolutely stunning. I can actually feel it. Next year we are coming back."

Teacher Jan Harvey, who is originally from Jamaica, said: "Everybody is enjoying themselves, there is no trouble and there is a good atmosphere."