A giant ice-cream cone and a hat made from marshmallows were among the exotic headwear at Royal Ascot.

Women showed off their creations on Ladies Day as they arrived for the third day of racing.

One racegoer had her hat specially designed, taking inspiration from a her favourite food - marshmallows.

The pale pink, wide-brimmed creation was so heavy that 19-year-old Jade Taylor had to take it off for regular rest intervals.

The fashion model Erin O'Connor also turned heads with a black feathered hat by milliner Stephen Jones.

Dressed in an elegant cream blazer and black trousers, she said: "Ladies Day is a very necessary occasion for women - dressing up is not something we get to do very much these days."

O'Connor, who has featured on the front cover of fashion magazine Vogue and has been one of the faces of Marks & Spencer, added: "I have had a few errors over the years but you can't go wrong under the guidance of Stephen Jones."

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