VE Day celebrations in West Devon will include special free events to mark the eightieth anniversary of Winston Churchill’s victory in Europe broadcast.

There will be cream teas, forties singalongs, memory sharing, beacon-lighting and period dressing for both private and community occasions.

Nationally, VE Day 80 commemorations will take place throughout the week beginning Bank Holiday Monday (May 5) leading up to VE Day on Thursday, May 8.

A national day of remembrance will take place on Monday, May 5, with the Cenotaph in London draped in Union Flags, a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace and flypast with the Red Arrows. On Tuesday an impressive installation of ceramic poppies will take place at the Tower of London and historic buildings and monuments countrywide will be illuminated. On Wednesday, a concert will take place at Westminster Hall, on VE Day a service will be held for world leaders and veterans in Westminster Abbey.

Tavistock Town Council and Tavistock Business Improvement District are staging a day of free community celebrations on Thursday, May 8, in Bedford Square, Tavistock.

Attractions include live music, school choirs, an army cadets march and salute, a military vehicle display, vintage market in Butchers' Hall, street food and drinks, A Tavistock Lions’ Club barbecue, circus skills, vintage games, fairground rides, wartime heritage displays and a teddy bears’ picnic The council will ceremonially light up a beacon at 9.30pm on Whitchurch Down.

Mary Tavy Hall and Field Committee is organising an event to commemorate VE 80 Day. A jazz band, Desperate Measures, will perform forties music from 7pm-9pm. A beacon will also be lit at 9.30pm.

Okehampton will be celebrating VE day in Simmons Park with a free event with live music, gift stalls, a teddy bears’ picnic and many activities 3pm-8pm. To pre-order a teddy bears picnic, visit: https://ocrasport.org.uk/product/teddy-bears-picnic-box/