Vigils and illuminations to mark Ukraine war anniversary

Buildings in the West Midlands will be lit up in the colours of the Ukraine flag on Friday while a vigil was held at Coventry Cathedral

Buildings will be illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag and vigils held in the West Midlands to mark the first anniversary of the war.

A dedicated service in Ukrainian will be held in Coventry on Friday morning followed by a vigil at the city's cathedral from 18:30 GMT.

Among the buildings to be lit up will be Dudley Council House and the bell tower in Evesham, Worcestershire.

A national one-minute silence will take place at 11:00.

Councillor Adrian Gregson, the mayor of Worcester, joined Ukrainian families who had moved to the city outside the Guildhall on Friday for the minute's silence.

The mayor of Worcester, councillor Adrian Gregson, joined Ukrainian families living in the city on Friday

The service in Coventry was held at the city's Ukrainian Catholic Church from 10:00.

A procession will set off in the evening from Coventry's Lower Precinct to the candlelit vigil at the cathedral.

The Ukrainian flag was flown above council buildings in Stoke-on-Trent...

...while crowds gathered in Newcastle-under Lyme to mark the occasion

"The vigil will give us an opportunity to acknowledge the terrible pain and loss of the last year, to remember those who have died, and to pray for those in danger," Canon Mary Gregory said.

Several councils said the Ukrainian flag would be flown from their buildings on Friday including Warwickshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Wychavon.

The Newcastle-under-Lyme branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain plans to parade through the town centre from 17:00 ahead of a ceremony at the New Vic Theatre.

Families that have settled in Wolverhampton attended an event on Friday morning

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