Solstice is celebrated

9:53am Friday 22nd December 2006

TWENTY sun worshippers braved the cold to mark the winter solstice at Avebury.

Druid keeper of the stones Terry Dobney led a ceremony marking the important day on the pagan calendar.

While fog hid the sun, the group formed a circle within the stones.

Further south, confusion reigned at Stonehenge as English Heritage told a crowd assembled there that the solstice was not officially on until today.

About 60 people turned up to the circle in south Wiltshire only to be told it was the wrong day.

After negotiating with site managers English Heritage, the crowd performed traditional solstice activities before leaving peacefully.

The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world.

An English Heritage spokeswoman said most people assumed that because the summer solstice was on the 21st day of June that its winter counterpart occurred on the same date in December.

Stonehenge is currently competing against other iconic buildings and structures for the New Seven Wonders of the World.