The old adage that every picture tells a story was never truer than on the front page of the Lincolnshire Echo on June 2, 1953.

That historic day saw the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey and 20m people around the world watched some of the proceedings on television.

Princess Elizabeth ascended the throne aged just 25 after her father King George VI died that February - and would go on to become Britain's longest serving monarch.

And her big day was the first coronation to be televised.

The Echo's front page of that day carried a huge still photo from the television footage with the simple headline: "The Queen is Crowned."

Underneath are the words: "Here Is The Picture."

The coronation brought some much-needed cheer to people in Lincolnshire following the devastating and deadly east coast floods of February 1953.

Maureen Booth, from North Hykeham, recently came across an original copy of the Echo's coronation souvenir edition "in a basket full of things " at her home.

She said: "I cannot honestly say where this paper came from but I would imagine I've inherited it from my late husband Dennis' family.

"I would have thought it was the bees' knees to have seen this picture and the reports in the Echo at the time because not everyone would have had a television back then."

The coronation really was a big deal and people of Lincoln were planning a month of celebrations, with plans for streets to be decorated and buildings to be floodlit.

There was folk dancing, fireworks, sports, a gymkhana and religious services.

Queen Elizabeth II - long to reign over us
Queen Elizabeth II - long to reign over us

Activities came to a head on Coronation Day itself with a carnival procession from the West Common to the South Common followed by military displays and fireworks.

At other times there were performances of the musical Merrie England outdoors in the Arboretum, folk dancing in the castle grounds, sporting events at Sincil Bank and a water display on Brayford.

The cathedral, Cardinal’s Hat, the Glory Hole, Jews House, the Stonebow, the Usher Gallery and the Corporation offices in Silver Street were all floodlit for two weeks.

The High Street was decorated from the Midland Railway level crossing gates all the way up to The Strait, and there were flags and bunting in places like Guildhall Street, Newland, Mint Street, Corporation Street, Clasketgate, Silver Street, Saltergate, Broadgate and Monks Road.

Villages were also included. Saxilby for instance had its own coronation committee whose members had quickly arranged a full programme for the big day, beginning with a church service and distribution of mugs and copies of the New Testament to the children.

The day continued with a procession of decorated vehicles and a school pageant followed by sports, a concert, dance and fireworks display.

The Echo described the coronation as follows: "Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey today with a pageantry that grew in splendour and a drama that multiplied in significance to make a Royal occasion unsurpassed in our time."

Westminster Abbey was transformed for the coronation with blue and gold furnishings.

The Coronation

After being handed the four symbols of authority - the orb, the sceptre, the rod of mercy and the royal ring of sapphire and rubies - the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher, placed St Edward's Crown on her head to complete the ceremony.

In London, an estimated three million people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the new monarch as she made her way to and from Buckingham Palace in the golden state coach.

Amid the excitement of her coronation morning, the Queen still found time to send a message of warmest congratulations to the men who had capped the day with the news the British Everest expedition had scaled the highest peak.

New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the summit on May 29 but news of the conquest did not reach the rest of the world until Coronation Day.

What are your memories of the Echo? Do you have any old copies lurking in the attic? Do you have any suggestions of significant events in the county's past that we should visit.

Call Paul Whitelam on 01522 804339 or or comment on our Facebook.