THE Queen’s Baton was paraded through Maldon's Promenade Park at an event which brought the people of Maldon together.

UFest was hosted by Maldon District Council in Maldon Promenade Park today.

The free festival is being held to celebrate the Queen's Baton Relay which passed through the park.

Maldon was one of just three places in Essex that the Queen's Baton chose to stop at in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

The baton stopped in Basildon and Southend-on-Sea before arriving in Maldon at 1pm today.

Eight baton-bearers were selected from around the area for their unique, inspiring stories, including Maldon cycling champion Alex Dowsett.

Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst, expressed what a big day it was for Maldon.

She said: “I have never seen the Queen’s Baton before, so it is a very exciting day.

“It really puts Maldon on the map and there is so much to be proud of for the people here.

“The baton has travelled for a total of 294 days and has visited nations and territories of the commonwealth.

“The epic journey is about embracing culture, igniting hope, solidarity and collaboration and sharing stories that inspire others to take on challenges.

“It’s a great privilege for me to be here today representing the Queen and throwing a light on Maldon.

“I’m very proud of Maldon. I think that the Prom is one of the best places, certainly in Essex, possibly the world.”