Queen Elizabeth II: Letters from twinned cities sent to Leeds

Plans are moving forward to twin the city of Kharkiv (pictured), the second largest city in Ukraine, and Leeds as a move to show "solidarity and compassion" following the Russian invasion

Letters of condolence following the death of Queen Elizabeth II have been sent to Leeds from its twinned cities and Kharkiv in Ukraine.

The council has received messages from Lille in France and Dortmund in Germany, which have been twinned with Leeds for more than 50 years.

A plan to twin Leeds with the Ukrainian city to show "solidarity" is under way.

Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote: "We share with you the depth of the loss of a great personality".

Other letters came from the German city of Siegen, which has twinning arrangements with Morley and Leeds dating back to 1966 and 1972 respectively, and Brno in the Czech Republic.

In his letter, addressed to the mayor of Leeds, Mr Terekhov said: "On behalf of the kharkivities, Kharkiv City Council and me personally, I would like to extend heartfelt condolences to citizens of Leeds and all subjects of Her Majesty."

Floral tributes have been placed outside Leeds Civic Hall following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Leeds and Kharkiv, which are both twinned with Lille and Brno, are more than 2,000 miles (3,219 km) apart.

Leeds City Council previously said it hoped to create a "lasting international bond" between the two cities following the Russian invasion of the Ukraine.

A letter was sent from the mayor of Kharkiv in Ukraine to his counterpart in Leeds

The mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, described Elizabeth II as a "queen for Europe" who will forever occupy a special place in world history.

Marketa Vankova, the mayor of Brno, wrote in her letter that she was "deeply saddened" by the news of the Queen's death.