ST AUSTELL Bay Parish Council has announced plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day this week.

VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) on May 8 1945 celebrated the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany’s unconditional surrender of its armed forces and marked the official end of the Second World War.

To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day events are set to be held across the country and St Austell Bay Parish Council is inviting local residents to join together on Thursday, May 8.

The parish council will join others across the UK in lighting a beacon on May 8 at 9.30pm on Charlestown Harbour and there will be music from the 1940s played by St Austell Town Band for the occasion.

The evening will start at 8.45pm when Parish Council chairman Bill Leach will introduce the event and there will then be a 30-minute concert by the town band.

After this there will be a tribute read during the event and the Last Post and Reveille will also be played before and after a two-minute silence is observed in memory of those who lost their lives and loved ones in the conflict. The beacon will then be lit at 9.30pm.

Following this the town band will play more music to round off the event. All are welcome to attend.

St Paul’s Church in Charlestown and St Levan’s in Higher Porthpean will also be ringing a peal of bells on the day to mark the occasion.

Councillor Bill Leach, chairman of St Austell Bay Parish Council, said: “We hope that residents of the parish and people from across St Austell will join with us for this special celebration.

“VE Day was such an historic occasion and we hope that this event will reflect the celebratory nature of that day with people coming together and enjoying the music whilst also remembering those who were lost or injured during the war.

“We would like to thank Charlestown Harbour for letting us hold this event and we are delighted to be welcoming St Austell Town Band to perform during the evening.”