The Lord Mayor's Street Procession 2012 through Norwich city centre. Photo: Steve Adams

Amid all the excitement of the Lord Mayor’s celebrations last night, the Mayor of Norwich announced which of the many eye catching floats had made the biggest impression.

Standing on the balcony of City Hall, just before the fireworks at Norwich Castle began at 10.30pm, Ralph Gayton revealed the winners.

In first place was Norwich Community West Schools Cluster with Angel Road Junior School taking second place and Pea-Pod Pre-School, of Milford Road, Norwich, coming third.

The runners up were Future Projects, Down’s Syndrome Norfolk and Gasway.

Thousands of people lined the streets as the weather stayed warm and the rain stayed away, making for the usual fun atmosphere as over 50 floats wound through the city’s streets.

The parade began from Newmarket Road at 5pm and continued all the way to St Martins Palace Plain, just beyond Norwich Cathedral, via St Stephens Street, Red Lion Street, Castle Meadow and Tombland.

The traditional aspects of the 230-year-old event continued and, as always, was led by the sounds of the City of Norwich Pipe Band, closely followed by the city crier and Norwich whifflers – officers who traditionally went before processions to clear the streets.