An eight foot, twenty pointed star has been spreading festive cheer from the tower of St John at Hackney Church in London thanks to a new partnership between the church and Maquarrie Bank and Deutsche Bank.

The star was hoisted up onto the tower in a ceremony earlier in the week along with a six foot globe with a giant heart in the middle as a symbol of the Incarnation.

The giant decorations were created under the guidance of local artist Darcy Turner during two days of team building for employees from the city banks.

The Rector of Hackney, the Rev Rob Wickham, said it was a "remarkable relationship" between the two banks and the church.

"Hackney truly has some exciting symbols of hope, which speak of the Incarnation of love deep in the heart of a broken and fragile place and people. May the star that rises in the East End bring people to the manger as the place for their feasting," he said.