COLOUR blends with black and white to dramatic effect on Royal Mail's Coronation stamps, where pomp and parties sit side by side on 10 first class stamps.

And the Shuttle/Times and News has 30 first day cover sets in presentation packs to give away in an easy to enter competition.

As 20 million people sat around two million television, hundreds of thousands lined the route of the procession, and millions more took to the streets on June 2, 1953, to celebrate in their own towns and villages.

Now, exactly 50 years on, Royal Mail is issuing 10 stamps on June 2, to mark a nation's birthday - the day Her Majesty the Queen was crowned sovereign of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The stamps contrast images of the formal pomp and ceremony of the Coronation, interwoven with images showing the informal celebrations organised by the public.

Five stamps depict, in glorious colour, the opulence of the ceremonial procession.

They show the Queen in her full Coronation regalia and Crown Jewels, the gold Coronation coach, and servicemen and attendants in full livery.

Alongside these are five black and white stamps featuring children at street tea parties, fun races and working on a mosaic at a school - creating a more intimate, private view of the public celebrations.

To enter the competition, simply answer one question

How many stamps in the new Coronation set are printed in colour?

Closing date Friday, June 6. Normal Newsquest rules apply.