It’s all aboard at a pub that has been turned into a ship to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee.

Residents in Kibworth, Leicestershire, have helped landlord Andrew Southerden to transform the Coach & Horses pub into HMS Coach & Horses.

Hundreds of man-hours have gone into transforming the outside of the pub to look like a ship, complete with funnels, life rafts, illuminated portholes and a bow.

The pub will be officially “launched” on June 3, the same day as hundreds of ships are due to take part in a pageant on the River Thames in London.

More than 1,000 boats of all shapes and sizes are due to take place in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant to celebrate 60 years of the Queen’s reign.

Back at HMS Coach & Horses, Mr Southerden will be hosting a Regatta Street Party with live music, a best-built boat competition and a nautical fancy dress contest. The 49-year-old, who has been running the pub since September 2008 with wife Beverley, said: “After the success of the street party we had for the Royal Wedding last year we got to thinking how we could top that for the Jubilee.

“We had 70 tables last year, competitions, fancy dress, and it was such good fun.

“So when I heard about the pageant on the River Thames, I thought well, why don’t we have a Kibworth Regatta.”

The father of two praised the amount of support he has had from locals who have helped to transform the pub for the occasion.

“The support from the community has been awesome – with lots of people coming into the pub and asking what they could do to help.

“We’ve also been praised for the amount of detail with the life-boats and portholes – I must say it looks stunning.

“I’m really looking forward to next week. It should be a great deal of fun for the whole community.”

Queen approves unique stamps to celebrate the centrepiece of her festivities in June – the Thames River Pageant

The only product of its kind to be issued to celebrate the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, will be a special first-day cover of stamps produced by Isle of Man Post Office.

The official licensed first-day cover features the Royal Barge, Gloriana and two Manx vessels and is the ultimate souvenir from what is tipped to be the highlight of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant will showcase one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the Thames and the biggest collection of historic vessels.

The Manx vessels: a lifeboat from the historic Lady of Mann ship (the last vessel present at Dunkirk to survive), now converted as a cabin cruiser and Vital Spark – one of four replica Viking longboats built to be used in the annual World Viking longboat races held in the Isle of Man – will both form a special part of 1,000 vessels and 20,000 people on the Thames on June 3.

Dot Tilbury, General Manager Isle of Man Stamps & Coins, Isle of Man Post Office said: “We are absolutely thrilled Her Majesty The Queen has approved this very special first-day cover to celebrate such a historic event.

“It is particularly special to us, as two vessels representing the Isle of Man will be showcased in the pageant. A numbered limited edition of just 1,000, one for every boat in the pageant, will be carried aboard a vessel in the flotilla and authenticated by the master of the vessel.”

Priced at just £10 (€12), Royal fans are encouraged to pre-order their cover now to avoid disappointment.