It was, as ever, a battle to find the maddest hatter at Ascot’s Ladies Day yesterday.

From picnics to oversized milk cartons, the ladies really went for it this year with their head gear, not letting the occasional downpour dampen their spirits.

Despite the array of adventurous hats, birds seemed to be the recurring theme. From parrots to Flamingoes, our feathered friends were found nesting on quite a few heads.

The Queen wore a pink hat for her third appearance at Ascot, which is celebrating its 300th year. It seemed some got a little too excited by the event, though, as the usually refined day spiralled into a brawl with eight men descending into violence.