THE Victory in Europe celebrations began in earnest in the Ross-on-Wye area over the Bank Holiday weekend.

On Saturday afternoon St Mary’s Church was the venue for the Ross and District branch of the Royal British Legion event which featured the musicians and singers from Monmouth Big Band.

The event was supported by Ross Town Council with a grant and featured an army of volunteers to ensure the special cream tea was a success.

While nobody dressed up in war-time era military uniforms, women took the opportunity to wear 1940s styled outfits with many supporting Victory Rolls hair styles.

Linton Village Hall also hosted a 1940s style cream tea on Bank Holiday Monday, where people came dressed in the fashions of the time.

A local historian brought along an air raid siren which was wound up by children wearing their gas mask boxes.

Residents of Waterside got together to celebrate VE Day by creating a cocktail street party, which evolved into something much bigger than had originally been planned.

The VE Day celebrations continue in Ross on the actual anniversary, of Thursday, May 8 beginning at 9am with the Ross and District Branch of the Royal British Legion together with representatives of other bodies will ceremoniously raise the special anniversary flag at the Market House.

At 6.30pm, the bellringers at St Mary’s Church Bells will be ringing out in celebration of Peace.

A special commemoration event will then be held at St Mary’s Church from 7pm with the theme being the passing of the flame of Remembrance from the older to the younger generation.

From 9pm, there will be the formal Lighting of the Beacon ceremony, involving a Piper, the town crier and the mayor, after which the Beacon will be lit.