THE candles of a giant Menorah on Bournemouth seafront have been ignited to mark the start of Hanukkah.

Similar ceremonies for the eight-day Jewish festival of light have been taking place across the world.

Rabbi Bentzion Alperowitz, of the town’s Chabad Lubavitch, led proceedings in front of the hundreds who had gathered at the former Imax site on Monday evening.

Rabbi Alperowitz began with a reminder of Hanukkah's significance.

Jewish people believe that a battle was won against the Greeks more than 2,500 years ago allowing them to to practice their religion freely.

They believe a lamp lit in celebration of this victory miraculously burned for eight days despite there being sufficient oil for just one day.

Organisers at the Bournemouth service handed out candles to mark the occasion, which Rabbi Alperowitz said should also be used to remember “the victims of terrorism in Israel and all over the world”.

“We pray for the peace of our brethren in Israel and for the peace and wellbeing of all mankind all over the world,” he said.

“It’s great that we have such a good turnout - God bless the weather - and we have representatives of the entire Jewish community from all across the spectrum.”

The mayor, Cllr John Adams, was then elevated on a cherry picker to light the Menorah’s first candle.

"This is amazing – I have never done anything like this before from such a height,” Cllr Adams told the congregation.

"It’s great to be here on Hanukkah and it is my honour to light the Menorah."

He said that the message of Hanukkah “lives on eternally” and that the candles “symbolise the gift of religious freedom – peace, harmony and ultimate unity of all mankind”.

He added: “When that happens the world will be bliss. Lighting the Hanukkah candles reminds us that until then we pray for that to happen.”