The UK's week in pictures: David Amess vigils, Covid cases rise, and Queen Elizabeth

'The National' selects the best pictures from around the UK over the past week

epaselect People hold a vigil for MP Sir David Amess outside parliament in London, Britain, 18 October, 2021. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to lead tributes to MP David Amess at parliament later today. Amess was stabbed to death at a church in Leigh-on-Sea 15 October. EPA / ANDY RAIN

A deer at sunrise on Monday during the annual rutting season in Richmond Park, London. Reuters

First-year students at the University of St Andrews participate in the annual Raisin Monday shaving foam fight on the Lower College Lawn in St Andrews, Scotland. AFP

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried his hand at operating a robot arm on Tuesday at the Global Investment Summit at the Science Museum in London. PA

Tuesday also saw Little Amal, a 3. 5-metre-tall puppet of a nine-year-old Syrian girl, greeted in Folkestone by actor Jude Law. Little Amal has travelled nearly 8,000km across Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and France, symbolising millions of displaced children. AP Photo

On Wednesday UK government ministers were under pressure to implement Plan B winter measures to address rising Covid-19 cases and a faltering booster vaccine programme. Getty Images

Strong winds and large waves on Wednesday in Newhaven, East Sussex. Reuters

On Thursday soldiers from the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery took part in a physical training session on Saltburn beach in North Yorkshire. Getty Images

A skater on Thursday evening at the launch party for the Natural History Museum ice rink in London. Reuters

News crews gathered outside Buckingham Palace on Friday morning, after it was confirmed that Queen Elizabeth had spent a night in hospital for “preliminary investigations”. AFP

Friday saw Halloween excitement begin to build as a child plays piano as people pick pumpkins, in Flamstead, St Albans. Reuters

This week, vigils were held for David Amess, the Conservative MP for Southend West who was fatally stabbed last Friday while meeting constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, south-east England, UK daily Covid cases topped 52,000, and Queen Elizabeth II spent the night in hospital for ‘preliminary investigations’.