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Lights Out' ends day of WW1 centenary commemorations

The event was inspired by the words of wartime Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, who said on the eve of WW1: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."

The conflict between 1914 and 1918 - which became known as the Great War - left 17 million soldiers and civilians dead.

A candle-lit vigil was held at Westminster Abbey

Tower Bridge, the Eden Project in Cornwall, the headquarters of the Football Association and the Imperial War Museums in London and Greater Manchester, were among the buildings which took part in the "lights out" event.

The Duchess of Cornwall joined senior politicians - including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband - for a service of solemn commemoration at Westminster Abbey.

The service included the gradual extinguishing of candles, with an oil lamp put out at the grave of the unknown warrior at the exact hour war was declared.

'Deadly days'

The day's events began in Liege where 50 heads of state gathered for a service to mark the invasion of Belgium - which led to Britain declaring war in 1914.