A mountain of food was placed before the gods on a day when the Hindu community came together in celebration of the new year.

More than 100 volunteers helped to put on a huge and colourful celebration of Diwali at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chigwell on Thursday.

All the stops were pulled out for what was the first new year's celebration held at the temple, which opened in June.

Children from the nearby Chigwell School gazed on at the Annakut - or 'mountain of food' - which was placed in front of the elegantly dressed Hindu gods.

Aubergines, pizza, apples and a tree of Ferrero Rocher were some of the 500 vegetarian dishes laid out for the divine beings.

In the temple's main hall stalls representing and explaining significant days of Hinduism's lunar calendar had been put together.

For three months prior to welcoming in the year 2074 a team of volunteers had been working to put the display together, each donating four to six hours of their time after work each day.

Admiring their work was Pujya Yagnatilak Swami, a Sadhu or monk from Neasden Temple responsible for spiritual activities at the Chigwell Temple.

He said: "Today is a day when people get together.

"It is about presenting our culture to the community and the world."

Also in attendance was mayor of Loughton Cllr Stephen Murray and Priti Patel, MP for Witham and formerly a Cabinet member.

One woman instrumental to the smooth running of events was Pooja Barot, who led a small army of volunteers to make food for the hundreds of worshippers.

She said: "People have been here all morning.

"They could be doing any job, any where, but here they serve food to the community.

"It is a colourful and grand celebration."

At the end of their visit everyone was given a prasad box of sweet and savoury foods and the latest Hindu calendar.

The temple was opened on June 9 this year almost 15 years after the hunt for a new site suitable for the growing Hindu population just out of London was embarked upon.

In October 2016 - after much searching - the Chigwell plot was purchased.