Colourful paper lanterns will be lighting up a lake in Surbiton tonight as the UK's only Shinnyo-en buddhist community holds their annual festival.

The 4-day event will see lanterns with messages and prayers from the public floated on the water as a symbol of community and remembrance.

The festival is held in the grounds of the Shinnyo-en buddhist temple in Long Ditton and runs from 22 to 25 September.

Tickets to visit see the event in person are sold out but people are invited to watch the live-stream which starts at 6.30pm in the evenings.

A spokesperson for the Shinnyo-en buddhists in Surbiton told Kingston Nub News that the festival is part of the group's efforts to engage with the wider community.

They said: "Shinnyo-en has been holding Lantern Floating Festival since 2014 to share the opportunity for reflection and remembrance with our local community.

"We have been at our premises in Long Ditton since 2004 and we have been working to offer opportunities to learn more about Buddhism in general as well as Shinnyo Buddhism with the general public ever since."

According to the Shinnyo-en website, lantern floating festivals were started more than 80 years ago by the buddhism branch's founders.

"The floating of lit lanterns traditionally offers a moment to pause, reflect and appreciate; creating a natural sense of connectedness with all - past, present and future," the website states.

"Lantern floating is an opportunity for us to kindle an optimistic light of hope in ourselves and others."

Once floated, the lanterns stay on the lake within the temple gardens until the end of the festival.

The buddhists will collect the lanterns on 26 September, then wash and dry all the wooden lantern bases ready for reuse next year.

Decorated lantern papers are all carefully removed and kept in front of the Buddha's image in the temple's altar room.

Visit the Shinnyo-en website to find out more about the festival and how to watch the livestream.