THOUSANDS of people from Suffolk will descend on London to soak up the atmosphere and be a part of history as Prince William marries Kate Middleton today.

While many will be busy setting up for their own parties to mark the occasion back home in the county, the Pye family from Drinkstone and Eye are among those looking forward to getting a closer look at the pomp and ceremony. Nick Pye and his wife Fiona will be sharing the day with their son and three grandchildren, creating memories they will “share together for years to come”.

The couple, with their son James, his partner Michelle and the children, who range from 18 months old to 12, are aiming to watch the day’s events unfold from Horse Guards Parade. There they will be at the centre of the celebrations with a chance to catch a glimpse of Prince William making his way to Westminster Abbey before Kate Middleton follows to join her prince at the altar.

Mr Pye said they were armed with a picnic, flags, bunting – everything needed to join in the party atmosphere.

“We are all really excited,” said the 54-year-old from Drinkstone. “We are hoping the weather will stay dry so we can all enjoy the day.

“This is a big, once-in-a-lifetime event, and we are just excited to share it with our grandchildren.

“It will be something we can all talk about and reminisce together in the future.”

To accommodate the expected surge in demand on the region’s railways, train operator National Express East Anglia (NXEA) will be providing extra seats on board trains to the capital, with some services doubled in length.

A spokesman for NXEA said there would be no ticket restrictions on the day, allowing customers to take advantage of the full range of leisure fare including GroupSave tickets and no planned engineering works, allowing passengers an uninterrupted journey to London.