America the Beautiful echoed around St Paul's as the American community in London gathered at the Cathedral for the annual Thanksgiving Day service.

2,000 people came to give thanks on Thursday 27 November, in a service attended by the US Ambassador, Matthew Barzun, who read a message from President Obama.

Speaking to the congregation, Mr Barzun told of a previous Ambassador who had helped dig the people of London out of the rubble of the Second World War Blitz, epitomising the close friendship between the two nations which is maintained to this day.