Thousands in Sikh community celebrate Vaisakhi

Some of Coventry's Sikhs celebrated Vaisakhi with a parade in the city

Thousands of people from the Sikh community have marked Vaisakhi in events across the West Midlands.

More than 10,000 gathered in Coventry and Wolverhampton to parade through the streets with many donating to a number of charities.

Vaisakhi, also called Baisakhi, is the festival that celebrates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699.

It was originally a harvest festival in the Punjab region of India until it became Sikhs' most important festival.

Some city centre roads were closed off during the procession

Thousands took part in the Coventry parade

A number of colourful floats took part in the celebrations

In Wolverhampton some of the celebrations were organised by the Sedgley Street Gurdwara

Many people enjoyed the special procession through the streets called nagar kirtans

Wolverhampton West MP Warinder Juss was among those attending the city celebrations