Residents gathered to watch the lighting of a Menorah in Harrow town centre to celebrate Hanukkah.

More than 50 members of the Jewish community were in St Ann's Road yesterday to see the deputy mayor of Harrow light the Menorah to mark the second night of the festival at 6pm.

Councillor Eric Silver, the deputy Mayor of Harrow, lit the storm lamps.

Councillor Silver said: "Harrow is a multi-cultural borough and a large Jewish community forms part of that. I'm pleased that Harrow Council has supported this public celebration of a key Jewish festival.

"The Hanukkah lights join the Christmas lights already up in the town centre. That's important as Hanukkah is all about bringing peace and light to the whole community."

The lighting of the nine-branch candelabrum symbolises the belief in Judaism that the light is stronger than darkness as good always prevails over evil.

The ceremony was led by Rabbi Mendel Lew from the Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue, in London Road.

He said: "As we rededicate ourselves to these ideals we salute the borough of Harrow, a beacon of freedom, friendship and tolerance, embracing liberty, justice and righteousness."

Prayers and traditional songs were performed after the event, with donuts and latkes served to the crowd.

The fried food shows the miracle of the oil that burned the candles during the revolt of the Jewish Maccabees against the Syrian Greeks in 161BC. Hanukkah celebrates this period when the candles in the second Temple of Jerusalem burned for eight days with only enough oil to burn for one day.