Queen visits Blackburn for Maundy service

The Queen was in Blackburn today carrying out a tradition that dates back 350 years.

She was handing out Maundy money to 88 men and 88 women - a pair for each of her years.

And she even had time for a bite of Lancashire hotpot, as Amy Welch reports.

The Queen has given out Maundy money to 88 men and 88 women at Blackburn Cathedral.

Thousands of people have been lining the streets of Blackburn for a glimpse of the Queen.

The Duke of Edinburgh is also in town to give money to pensioners at the traditional Royal Maundy Thursday service.

Amy Welch reports.

The Queen commemorates Maundy by offering "alms" to senior citizens recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations, in recognition of their service to the Church and to the local community.

During the service the Queen gives out the Maundy money to 88 men and 88 women - one for each of her 88 years.

Each recipient receives two purses, one red and one white.

This year the red purse contains a £5 coin, commemorating the 300th anniversary of Queen Anne's reign and a 50p coin commemorating the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

The white purse contains specially minted Maundy money.

This takes the form of one, two, three and four silver penny pieces, the sum of which equals the number of years of the monarch's age.

The Queen arrives at Blackburn Cathedral for the Maundy Thursday service.

People of Blackburn are lining the streets to see the Queen as she visits the town for the Maundy Thursday service at Blackburn Cathedral.

Royalist author Colin Edwards will be among the thousands of people welcoming the Queen to Lancashire at today's Maundy service.

The 73-year-old has met and photographed the monarch hundreds of times before, and today Colin will personally present her with his book, 'A Personal Portrait of the Royal Family.'

The book features many of the Queen's visits to the North West in a series of photos.

Every year at Easter Her Majesty presents special 'Maundy money' to local pensioners in a UK cathedral or abbey. Today crowds are expected to gather in Blackburn for the Queen's visit to the town's cathedral to continue an ages old tradition.

If you're having a day out to see the Queen and you're planning on taking some pictures we'd love to see them. You can E mail them to granada.reports@itv.com or tweet them to @granadareports.