More than 30 volunteers, residents and council staff rolled up their sleeves to clean up Elm Park over the weekend.

They were giving the town centre a make-over in time for its Illuminating Elm Park event on Friday night.

The team, working with the council’s Streetcare department, Havco, and the Elm Park Regeneration Partnership, pulled weeds, raised flower beds, and replanted flowers thanks to a donation of plants from Elm Park Florists.

Ingrid Brandon, from the Elm Park Regeneration Partnership, said: “More than 60 bags of rubbish were collected on the day which will set the standard for future exercises of this type under the Cleaner Havering campaign.

“A number of volunteers included Havering Ambassadors who had donated their time towards the 2012 Olympics, ensuring that the magic created by the Gamesmakers is still very much alive in Elm Park.”

Ingrid, who was a torchbearer during the Olympic Torch relay, will turn on the Christmas lights at the event on Friday, at 6pm.

You will have a chance to have a picture with the Torch, and the event will also include a free carousel, a Santa’s Grotto, performances from Elm Park Primary School and RJ Mitchell School, and a magic act from Jake Banfield.