WE were given a holiday from school that day (VE Day), which was sunny and cloudless.

In the village where I lived near Durham City there was a sports day on the communal field.

I remember there was red, white and blue bunting and Union Jack flags everywhere.

The owner of the local sweetshop, who we children were a bit scared of because he was usually grim and unsmiling, gave us all a bag of sweets each.

Valerie Kendall

St Anne's Hospital

Appleby-in-Westmorland