Festival of light illuminates canal bridge

Galton Bridge at Smethwick was opened in 1829

A stretch of canal in the Black Country was bathed in light as celebrations were held to mark Diwali.

The Festival of Light was staged beneath Galton Bridge in Smethwick on Saturday night.

Organised by the Canal & River Trust, the event saw local residents captivated by the light show which ran for three hours.

The bridge was built by Thomas Telford to carry a road across the new main line of the Birmingham Canal

Originally built as a road bridge, today Galton Bridge is open only to pedestrians

"We've had Diwali, we've had Bandi Chhor Divas and the community is all coming together to celebrate those Indian festivals," said Taz Parvaz, from the Canal & River Trust.

"Galton Bridge is an amazing structure, and we've lit it up, come down here to enjoy some mindfulness and a reflection time down by the waterside."

He added: "The Canal & River Trust is encouraging people to come down and find these blue and green oases that are on their doorstep, where they can escape and come down for their well-being and see the beauty and the wildlife and the nature."

Members of Eco-Sikh UK, an inter-faith group trying to combat climate change, global warming and biodiversity loss, took part in the festival

Candles were lit and then floated out into the canal to mark Diwali - the festival of lights

The bridge spans the Birmingham Main Line Canal, which runs from Gas Street Basin in the city centre to Tipton

The bridge lends its name to the nearby Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station

During the evening, Galton Tunnel was illuminated in different colours

When it was built, the Grade I listed structure had the highest span in the world, measuring 46 metres (151ft)

The event was supported by members of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick