SIXTY five years ago on Saturday the Leigh area breathed a sigh of relief as six years of dark conflict came to an end on VE Day.

There were cheers in schools and factories as news of peace spread, and celebrations started in earnest.

In the evening hundreds of revellers converged on Leigh Market Square and danced and conga-d the night away as fireworks lit up the sky.

Even so for many it was a day of sorrow and mourning for those who had lost loved ones - was war was still continuing in the East.

Street parties for the kids became the order of the day as life slowly got back to normal. Despite rationing mums managed to put on a right royal spread for children who had learned to go without, and everyone contributed to the party food.

The tables were laden with sandwiches, cakes, scones and of course ice cream from Orsis!

To mark the 65th anniversary of VE Day (and the 70th anniversary of Churchill coming to power) the Imperial War Museum North organised a free VE Day party on Saturday The museum shows how the war shaped the lives of civilians and the armed forces and gives younger visitors the chance to picture what life was like in 1945.

Aren’t they lucky they only have to imagine?