The Mayor of Waltham Forest and councillors celebrated Commonwealth Day this morning by taking part in a flag-flying ceremony at Waltham Forest Assembly Hall in Forest Road, Walthamstow.

Mayor Nadeem Ali said: "Local communities – wherever they live, learn or work – can join together with others throughout the Commonwealth in a spirit of respect and understanding to celebrate the variety and unmatched diversity of the Commonwealth family.

"This is particularly relevant here in Waltham Forest where that variety and diversity are things we cultivate and celebrate as key ingredients in the make-up of our borough."

Part of a wider event called Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth, the council is joining other bodies across the UK and the world in flying Commonwealth flags ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July.

The Commonwealth is made up of 53 sovereign states across the world with a combined population of two billion.