Organisers and police have praised the peaceful spirit of the 40th Notting Hill Carnival as it draws to a close. Officers estimate more than a million people will have flocked to the streets of west London over the weekend. About 250,000 people went on Sunday - more than double the first day last year - to celebrate the carnival's 40th anniversary, with many more on Monday. Scotland Yard said arrests were 30% down on 2003 and they were "extremely pleased" with how it had gone so far. Organisers were expected to be delighted by the event's success after last year's parade was dampened by bad weather and low crowd numbers. Chris Mullard, chairman of the London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said: "Everyone is over the moon that it has kept going for 40 years - it has really made a big mark on the London cultural map." Scotland Yard's Chief Insp Wayne Mawson said 64 arrests had been made by Monday evening, compared to 94 at the same point last year - although he warned more could come later that night. 'Superb family day' He said: "The atmosphere is fantastic. "It has been very peaceful and that has been reflected in the crime and arrest figures. "We do not want to be complacent as there is still the evening to come but yesterday was a superb family day and everyone who came really enjoyed themselves. "Crime is low, reported crime is low, and people are still enjoying themselves. It is a great carnival atmosphere and let's hope the whole event is especially successful considering it is its 40th birthday." About 10,500 officers have been on duty over the weekend in what remains the Met's biggest annual public order event. Freedom and Justice was the theme for this year's carnival, which is one of the biggest street festivals in Europe. Caribbean calypso music rang out of huge sound systems on a series of floats, around which people danced in glittering costumes. While the carnival is celebrating four decades, the roots of the event date back even further to the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1833 when the first Caribbean carnival was held in Trinidad. SOURCE: BBCCARIBBEAN.COM