The Mayor of Newham has been presented with a seed from a tree which survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Rokhsana Fiaz received the camellia tree pod on behalf of the borough to mark the anniversaries of the nuclear bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

She was joined by Louise Wilcox, head of parks and assets at the council, Kate Hudson, who is general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Cllr Canon Ann Easter.

The tree from which the seed was taken survived the bombing of August 6, 1945. It can now be found at the Yoshijima Inari shrine in Hiroshima.

The Japanese government's ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries has provided a certificate confirming the seed's authenticity.

Ms Fiaz said: "The seed is an important symbol of peace and of remembrance of the horrors of the nuclear bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima that we mark annually.

"The tree will be a permanent reminder of the need to strive for peace and reconciliation."

The pod is to be cultivated at a green house run by the local authority with the help of council apprentices.

After it has matured enough, it will be planted in one of the council's parks.

The tree will be one of many from the same camellia tree grown from seed and planted in parks around the world.

The event was part of a network of commemorations across the world marking the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Plans to cultivate the tree follow last year’s decision by Newham to answer a call by the UN "for cities throughout the world to transcend national borders and join in solidarity to work together to press for nuclear abolition".

It coincided with the 75th anniversary of the bombings. In accordance with the motion, the mayor joined Mayors for Peace, which was established by the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Later this year, Ms Fiaz will plant a memorial tree to remember all victims of nuclear weapons as part of the council’s wider tree-planting programme.

It is due to take place during Newham’s alternative peace week (September 13-17) with a focus on presenting peaceful alternatives to the DSEI Arms Fair which has been held in Newham in spite of some opposition.