A man has been cleared of wearing a mask of the Queen whilst driving a bus specially modified to offer refuge to homeless people ahead of last year’s Royal Wedding.

Michael Longsmith, 42, of Evans Way, Newbury, had been accused of wearing a carboard mask whilst driving the bus two days prior to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s nuptials on the 17 May.

Mr Longsmith from Reading based charity The Ark Project said that he had made the trip to Windsor ahead of the wedding after he heard of the treatment of the town’s homeless population. “Everyone had been saying that the homeless population in the town had been kicked off the high street.”

“We went to back up the royal family, we deliberately parked in the middle of the street and tried to help.”

Police had claimed that the driver had been wearing a mask of the Queen whilst driving the vehicle, which was refuted by Mr Longsmith, who claimed to only be wearing the mask when the vehicle was parked. The Magistrates acquitted Longsmith of this charge as a result of insufficient evidence to prove that he did not have a full view of the road.

Separate fines were handed to Mr Longsmith for other charges relating to the vehicles condition howeverr. He was convicted of using a vehicle without a valid MOT test certificate and for driving a vehicle that was likely could cause injury. The vehicle was also found to have three tires with bald spots on them.

He received a £61 fine for the three tyres, £92 for the MOT test certificate and £92 for the safety offence. The Magistrates also ordered Mr Longsmith to pay £150 in court costs and a victims surcharge of £30.

Magistrates also issued him with three penalty points on his license.