Queen Elizabeth II: Burnley Council leader Afrasiab Anwar pays tribute to 'truly remarkable woman'.

He said: “I along with the whole country am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen.

"Words don't do justice to the contribution she made to all our lives and to the lives of people across the commonwealth. A truly remarkable woman.

"Her presence, consistency and reliability meant so much to so many. For most people she has been the one constant in their lives and led us through so much.

"Whenever called upon she was a true leader, respected and admired all over the world. I know how for my parents generation and those early arrivals from the subcontinent she alone was the symbol of The United Kingdom.

“On a personal note I was lucky enough to have met her and was awarded my MBE by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace.

"A very proud moment for me and my family and the one thing I remember from that experience is the time she took to listen and her knowledge about Burnley showed she cared. There will not be another like her and I believe history will remember her as the greatest constitutional British monarch ever.”