A statue of a former Lord Mayor of London has been transformed into the Queen for a jubilee-themed gala taking place today.

Gala organisers in Grangetown, Teesside, have chiselled away at the 6ft tall paper mache figure, so it now resembles Her Majesty, and plan to parade it through the streets in a supermarket trolley, prior to the big event.

The wood, wire and papier mache statue of 17th-century Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Turner, who was born in Kirkleatham, was used six years ago, when Grangetown entered a float into the Lord Mayor's show in the capital.

"We put him in the loft but, with it being the Jubilee year, we decided to take him down and give him a sex change," said Bill Spowart, manager of the Grangetown Opportunities Centre.

"With quite a bit of work, we've got Her Majesty. She's had a makeover and we're putting a red robe on her and she looks very well.

"We'll have children dressed as jesters and courtiers pushing the trolley. I'm sure the Queen won't be offended." The gala takes place in Kingsley Road playing field between 11am and 3am.