TWO MINUTES of silence will be held in Victoria Square on Friday, May 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

Following the moment of silence, St Helens will participate in the lighting of a nation-wide chain of beacons on the evening of 8 May, at 9:32pm on Taylor Park Hill. The beacons were last lit in 1995 to mark the 50th Anniversary of VE Day.

National VE Day celebrations will take place from May 8 to 10, to commemorate the event and communities nationwide are encouraged to celebrate by holding 1940s-style street parties.

St Helens Council will assist with the road closures deemed necessary and requests can be made to the council’s Traffic and Road Safety Section.

To receive an application pack including all the information and guidelines, please call 01744 676852 or email traffic@sthelens.gov.uk

Postal requests can be sent to Traffic and Road Safety Section, Wesley House, Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1HF. All applications must be returned by Friday, April 17.