BBC reporter Stephen Ray reports from Stonehenge: "You can't actually see the sun"

Approximately 100 people, including members of six druid groups, gathered at the 5,000-year-old Wiltshire monument to hold ceremonies within the stones.

The police and English Heritage banned people from the ancient stone circle in 1988 after public disorder problems with groups of travellers who tried to start a festival.

Return after 10 years

Police said there had been 12 arrests during the night, mostly for public order offences.

A spokesman said about 200 people had tried to breach a four mile exclusion zone around the circle but most had been turned back without any problems and the atmosphere had been jovial.

The prehistoric stone circle in Salisbury Plain is the long-established venue for ancient rituals involving robed Druids, who claim to be descended from Celtic priests, as they greet the sun as it rises above the stones.

One ceremony involved a gathering of white-robed druids in the centre of the stones, who formed a circle and held a service which included striking a Tibetan gong.

The sun failed to put in an appearance, but Clews Everard, director of the monument, said the event had been a success.

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She said: "Stonehenge means different things to different people. What we want to try to do is allow people to enjoy Stonehenge for what it is to them."

English Heritage said the move to allow 100 people into the Stone Circle was "the first step" in its long-term vision for greater access to the stones.

Holiest of holy sites for druids

Before the solstice, Rollo Maughfling, Arch Druid of Britain, said his members were looking forward to the event, which marked the high point of their nature-worshipping religion.

"We have been stood outside the stones at various important times of the year for 10 years," he said.

"Obviously it is only limited access but we hope this will be increased and that we will get full access somewhere down the line."

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"It's our most revered site, holiest of holy sites," said the Arch Druid.

The traditional ceremony carries deep mystical significance for the Druids and their religion.

Scientists say when the stones were erected thousands of years ago the sun would rise exactly above the main horseshoe of stones. The solstice is now slightly out of line with the stones.

This has led many to say the circle was a giant astronomical calendar used by ancient peoples to measure the passing of the seasons.

Arch Druid Maughfling said: "Stonehenge was put there by man so that we could mark forever the longest day of the year.

"But the most important use was that the sun is at its height (on the solstice) and makes fertile the whole of nature, our crops and animals.

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"For without the sun we would not be."

Meanwhile, pagan groups from the rest of Europe, Russia and the United States gathered in Lithuania for a World Pagan Congress.