Dresden marks World War II bombings

Several hundred people in the German city of Dresden have marked the 73rd anniversary of the Second World War bombings of the city.

They formed a human chain across the river Elbe and lit candles to embody the horrors of the war,

On the night of February 13, 1945, two waves of British bombers attacked the city, three hours apart.

Almost 800 RAF Lancaster bombers let loose 1,182 tons of incendiaries and 1,478 tons of high explosives creating a firestorm that destroyed the city.

The official death toll is estimated at around 25,000. But many survivors believe the number was higher as bodies were reduced to ashes.