Parish councils in the Harborough district will be given £500 to help them stage special events to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day

All 44 parish councils on the patch are being handed £500 by the district council to help them stage special activities on Friday May 8.

The cash boost comes as the nation prepares to mark Victory in Europe Day in 1945 by holding three days of momentous events to roll back the years.

Council leader Cllr Phil King told a full district council meeting on Monday night: “Already many communities are planning how they will celebrate this unique occasion and the district council has been providing advice via our free events toolkit on our website.

“I’m pleased to announce that the council will be making available £500 for each parish council towards their VE Day celebrations.”

As for the town itself, he added: “In addition, activities are being planned for Market Harborough in conjunction with various partners.

“We are still looking at how we commemorate the formal end of World War Two in August with the 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day).”