A LARGE photograph of Queen Elizabeth II was lit up by hundreds of electric tealights at the end of a ceremony in Jubilee Square, Woking, on Sunday evening.

The lights were placed reverently by people who attended the borough’s contribution to the National Moment of Reflection, on the eve of the Queen’s funeral.

The ceremony began with the lighting of the Jubilee Beacon in the square, which was last ablaze in June to mark the Queen’s 70 years as monarch. The flames were extinguished before the start of a minute’s silence at 8pm, an event marked simultaneously across the nation.

After a welcome by the leader of the borough council, Ann-Marie Barker, members of Epworth Choir and Woking Choral Society sang Psalm 23.

Woking Mayor Saj Hussain paid tribute to Her Majesty before pipers from Gordon’s School at West End played a lament as the beacon was extinguished.

Simon Greenhill – who led community singing in the square during the beacon-lighting ceremony in June – sang the National Anthem as the crowd of people present held tealights aloft.

Cllr Hussain then laid a bouquet of white roses under the photograph, where a floral wreath in the shape of “EIIR” had been placed, followed by the laying of tealights.

“It was a lovely event,” said Cllr Barker. “The square was full of people and they appreciated holding the ceremony.

“The council are very good at organising these sorts of occasions. They did well to arrange the ceremony of reflection at short notice, sourcing the photograph and tealights and finding the participants.”