Scouts from Kingston and Esher stayed up all night to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

Both the Royal Kingston and Esher Scout Districts gathered at the Polyapes memorial, in Cobham, to take part in an overnight vigil, which saw scouts pay their respects from sundown last night until sunrise this morning. 

Today marks the centenary of the historic battle, which saw more than one million soldiers wounded or killed in the five-month conflict and is regarded as one of the deadliest battles in history.

The Polyapes memorial was set up by the Districts of Malden & Coombe & Esher Scouts in 1929 to commemorate the 70 scouts from the area who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

A memorial service is due to take place at All Saints Church in Kingston at 12pm.