IT was celebration time on Monday (March 11) when Manchester revelled in the start of the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay and Spirit of Friendship Festival.

And British Olympic champion cyclist Jason Queally joined members of the public as they gathered in Manchester's Albert Square to celebrate Commonwealth Day and the countdown to this summer's Commonwealth Games.

A giant screen, measuring 7.5m x 5m, captured the moment when the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay left Buckingham Palace at the start of a 64,000 mile journey around the world which ends in Albert Square on July 24.

Giant silver performing "slinkies", dramatic African dancers in exotic costumes, stilt-walkers, fire-eaters, unicyclists and a steel band entertained the crowd as the Games headed for the final home straight.

To mark the official start of the Spirit of Friendship Festival, with its heart in the North West, colourful international performers including Australian street theatre group Bedlam Oz, performed in Albert Square.

This is already the most successful Commonwealth Games ever with two-thirds of tickets, that's 500,000, already sold -- five months ahead of the event and nearly twice as many as for previous Games.

The Games are the biggest multi-sport event ever staged in the United Kingdom.

Commonwealth Day was also celebrated at Manchester Cathedral with a multi-faith service led by the Very Reverend Ken Riley, Dean of the Cathedral.

School children performed for an audience of local dignitaries and the Queen's message to the Commonwealth was read out.