15,000 people flock to Stonehenge to celebrate summer solstice just days after monument sprayed
WATCH: The summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge. Pictures from Heritage England.
Around 15,000 people have greeted the sun with cheers as it rose over Stonehenge for the summer solstice, just days after the ancient monument was sprayed with orange paint.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic structure in Wiltshire encountered a chilly morning accompanied by misty fields as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.52am on Friday.
The display comes just days after the heritage site was targeted by Just Stop Oil protesters.
Wiltshire Police said a man in his 70s and a woman in her 20s have been bailed after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, damaging an ancient monument and deterring a person from engaging in a lawful activity.
English Heritage later confirmed the event would continue as planned despite the incident.
Kate Logan, Historic Properties Director of English Heritage, said they moved quickly to clear up the orange substance.
English Heritage experts have removed the substance but says the act of clearing it up could have had a harmful impact on the stones, which are fragile.
It also says it relies on members, visitors and donors to help bear the costs of cleaning up, but would rather be spending it on conservation work.
The site opened at 7pm on Thursday so the crowds could watch the sunset, with many staying throughout the night to watch the sunrise on Friday.
Kate Logan describes the significance of the formation of Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone - the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle – and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the monument.
It is believed solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
Summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for the year.
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