Dozens of people turned out despite the rain for an anti-violence rally aimed at tackling gang culture in Edmonton.

The Young Soldiers, a Christian-led youth group, organised the SAVE (Schools Against Violence in Enfield) march through the town on Saturday.

More than 150 peopled walked from outside Florence Hayes adventure playground towards Edmonton Police Station and on to the concourse in Edmonton Green.

The rally was followed by a small public meeting at Latymer All Saints Primary School, where guest speakers including the police and charities were invited to discuss violence, drugs and stop-and-search laws.

Organiser Pastor Pat Agdomar said he hoped the group had an impact on the people they encountered during the walk through the town.

He said: “It was a very emotional experience for many people there. We came across some young men roaming the street and I hope we inspired them in some way to achieve.

“We hope we brought some community cohesion by highlighting the issues of gang crime – it is about building bricks.

“It felt good to do something positive, it was fantastic.”