A procession of devotees pulling a chariot alongside staff and pupils of a Barkingside school marked Ratha Yatra festival in the borough.

Avanti Court, in Carlton Drive, a Hindu school, celebrated the chariot festival last week for the second year running with a procession along the street where there was singing, chanting and dancing to rhythmical drums and cymbals.

The walk ended with a celebration in the school’s newly formed Temple Room.

Pupils engaged in Ratha Yatra activities such as carving of fruits to place as offerings to the deities and Indian classical dancing Bharatnatyam performed by pupils in Year 1 and Year 2.

Mayor of Redbridge, Ashley Kissin, attended the event.

He said: “Going into the school it brought back memories because two of my own children attended Ilford Jewish Primary - which used to be on the same site - in the late 1970s.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the event - there was some dancing which was brilliant considering they were very young children.”