A BOMB crater in the middle of the road, soldiers in Second World War uniforms and people in 1940s fashions - this was anything but a normal day on the streets of Winchester.

The city welcomed the stars of the most expensive TV series in British history this weekend.

The streets were awash with camera crews as filming of The Crown took place in Canon Street and College Street.

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The £100 million Netflix drama, which centres on the early life of the Queen, saw parts of the city come to a standstill.

Hundreds of interested fans gathered to get a glimpse of the set which featured part of Canon Street being closed off entirely, and red tape around a section of College Street next to the Wykeham Arms pub.

Actors and actresses were seen wearing 1940s style clothes and historic vehicles were also seen in College Street as they were parked outside Winchester College, which was also closed to the public.

To add to the authenticity of the production, there were little touches the film crew used in Winchester to depict wartime Britain.

Today scenes were due to be filmed inside the Guildhall, which will be closed to the public.

The Crown stars former Dr Who Matt Smith as a young Prince Philip and Claire Foy as Elizabeth in her younger years. It will span 60 episodes over six series.

The show is written by Peter Morgan who also wrote Frost/Nixon and the 2006 Oscar-winning film The Queen.

It will focus on the Queen's early reign, revealing personal intrigues, romances and political rivalries behind events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.

The Crown will be on Netflix later this year, although a date has not yet been set.

Cllr Fiona Mather who represents Winchester City Council's St Michael ward, where the film was shot, briefly saw some of the action while walking her dog.

She said: "It's really great that film makers want to come to Winchester.

"I was very impressed by how they has made the artificial bomb crater and by putting a mat down and putting rubble there.

Share article "Quite a lot of things have been filmed in Winchester and living around this area we are used to having these enormous lorries and canteens for the actors."

But she said some residents have been concerned about parking and added; "Not everyone agrees with it but on the whole most people think it's a price worth paying."