Prince Charles leads Dickens celebrations

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are leading global celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth.

Prince Charles laid a wreath at the author's grave during a service at Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.

Dickens had asked to be buried at Rochester Cathedral but after a public outcry his grave was placed in the Abbey.

Events are also taking place at Dickens' place of birth in Portsmouth where his great-great-grandson Ian Dickens laid a wreath.

A number of authors and poets attended the Westminster service to celebrate his life. US actor Gillian Anderson gave a private reading for the royal visitors and British actor Sheila Hancock read from Oliver Twist.

The BritishCouncil is organising a 24-hour readathon in 24 countries around the world from Albania to Zimbabwe.