A college in Ipswich has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, 61 years after Her Majesty opened it.

Suffolk New College hosted a remembrance service, which saw around a thousand staff and students, respectfully mourn the passing of The Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the college in July, 1961, when it was known as the Ipswich Civic College, and later Suffolk College.

Public Services students at the school played a key role in the service, creating a ceremonial march to pay their respects to the country's longest serving monarch.

Ipswich Star: Queen visits Civic College Ipswich 1961Queen visits Civic College Ipswich 1961 (Image: David Kindred)

Ipswich Star: The Queen opened the Civic College, now Suffolk New College, in 1961The Queen opened the Civic College, now Suffolk New College, in 1961 (Image: Archant)

Head of public services, Martin Memory, said: "As a college, we wanted to show our respects to The Queen.

"For myself, The Queen was a constant in an ever-changing world, I have been inspired by her sense of duty and work ethic."

Students were also able to share what The Queen meant to them.

Ipswich Star: Students paying their respects to HM Queen Elizabeth IIStudents paying their respects to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Image: Suffolk New College)

Chloe Clarke, 19, from Ipswich, said: "We are immensely grateful to The Queen for over 70 years of dedicated service."

Catherine Marshall, 22, from Felixstowe, said: "The Queen saw the jet age arrive, the birth of electronic computing and the space age, all before the age of 35.

"She really was, Great Britain."