An annual festival celebrated by the Hindu community began this week.

Hundreds of people from across the borough will join in with celebrations to mark Navratri.

Members of the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre, in Palmerston Road, took to the streets yesterday for a procession to mark the start of their celebrations, which will last more than a week.

Later in the evening people attending the first night of the festival in Bryon Hall, at Harrow Leisure Centre, in Christchurch Avenue.

Navratri literally means 'nine days' and is an important date in the Hindu calendar, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.

The celebration is marked by Hindus around the world every year near the beginning of October around the time of the harvest.

Each night of the festival those taking part wear traditional cloths and jewellery and perform a number of dances.