A SMALL but keen crowd gathered at the Avebury stones this morning to celebrate the winter solstice.

The peaceful ceremony was visited by druids, pagans and curious visitors as mead was passed around and a circle was made just moments after the sun rose at around 8.22am.

Druid Terry Dobney said: “I don’t know why anyone would be offended by what we do here but I have been screamed at over the years. I purposefully don’t mention any gods in anything we do here. In the end we are all controlled by the sun, moon, gravity and the elements and we are celebrating this here today.

“Honour the earth respect the earth, be kind to the earth. Earth is our home and as yet we have nowhere else to go.”

Around 30 people came to the historic stones to commemorate the solstice, which occurs when the sun reaches its most southern position at -23.5 degrees, directly above the Tropic of Capricorn.

The solstice also marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

This year the solstice took place at 4.28pm yesterday afternoon and this morning the first sunrise following the solstice was celebrated.

Although official sunrise in Greenwich was 8.04am this morning, time to allow for the location of the Avebury stones delayed the welcoming of the sun.

Pagan priest Gordon Rimes then took the group through a chant in which the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water were celebrated. He explained that they are all linked to each other and necessary for one another's survival.

Mr Rimes said: “Everything is a balance. Every element balances out each other element. But more important than the elements is spirit, which holds them together as it holds us together and everything we do.

"Spirit tells a blade of grass to be grass, every stone to be a stone and it tells every person to be a person. Spirit is the one big important thing.”

Although the sun was blocked by low level fog, the group then acknowledged the sun and watched on as druids carried out their rituals.

In Stonehenge thousands gathered, with people carrying out yoga, dancing, touching the stones and spending time at the historic landmark.

Police described this year's solstice as exceptionally peaceful, with no arrests being made during the celebration.