Britons marked the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with a low-key ceremony in London on Sunday.

The British government did not organize a major commemorative event in deference to the wishes of the families of the 67 British victims.

But the U.S. Ambassador to Britain, Robert Tuttle, led a quiet ceremony of remembrance at the September 11 memorial garden next to the U.S. Embassy in Grosvenor Square.

A wreath was laid, followed by a minute's silence at 13:46 p.m. local time, the exact moment in the U.S. when the first aircraft hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre.

Only a small number of victims' families attended the event, while others chose to travel to New York or to mark the anniversary privately.

The Britain's Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, representing the government, laid 67 roses at the garden in memory of the British victims.

Source: Xinhua