Thousands of revellers get the party started at Notting Hill carnival

Many of the dancers have practised for months for today's event

Popular: Up to one million people are expected to attend the carnival over two days

Colourful.... The carnival is described as the highlight of the year for the Caribbean community

Hundreds of thousands of revellers descended on the capital today for Europe's biggest street festival - the Notting Hill Carnival.
Dancers wearing vibrant costumes paraded along the packed three-and-a-half-mile route in west London from 9am today to the sounds of traditional steel drums.
The lines of colourful floats were accompanied by more than 40 static sound systems and scores of Caribbean food stalls.