A quarter of a million people flocked to the streets of west London on Sunday for the start of the 44th Notting Hill Carnival.

The two-day celebrations have taken place around Ladbroke Grove on the last weekend in August every year since the 1960s.

The crowded streets housed 64 masquerade, or Mas, bands and 38 sound systems to accompany the three mile parade with ear-splitting music.

Highlights included DJ Norman Jay, who has been blasting out acid jazz, house and rare groove from his Good Times sound system since 1980.

The theme for this year's party is Welcoming the World, chosen to reflect the multicultural nature of visitors and to link the carnival with the 2012 Olympics.

The first day of the carnival coincided with the official handover of the Olympics from Beijing to London, and festival-goers were able to watch the handover events live from Trafalgar Square on a giant screen installed at Pleasance Park, near Ladbroke Grove.

Police reported a mainly trouble free start to Europe's largest street party.

Scotland Yard said 98 arrests were made in and around the event area.

Chief Insp Jo Edwards of the Metropolitan Police said that was "slightly higher than normal."

Past events have seen the festivities marred by violent clashes between party-goers and the police.

This year police have spent £6 million on an operation to safeguard festival goers.

Thousands of officers, many armed with metal detector wands, will try to flush out people attempting to carry knives and guns into the crowd.

The carnival continues on Monday.

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