JOIN in the national celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day by holding a street party, that's the message from Wychavon District Council.

To help those wanting to mark the historic occasion with friends, family and neighbours Wychavon is waving its charge of the normal £90 fee for arranging a road closure, for events held over the anniversary weekend of May 8 to 10.

The government has announced three days of events in recognition of the Allies victory, which brought an end to the Second World War in Europe.

They range from a parade, a service of thanksgiving and a star-studded concert in central London, while residents across the UK are being urged to recreate the celebrations of the time by holding street parties in their community.

Jack Hegarty, managing director at Wychavon said: "We’re keen that everyone in Wychavon gets the chance to celebrate this historic occasion. We’re working to make sure that everyone who wants to hold a party can do so as easily as possible, with the minimum of bureaucracy involved.

"It does take time for a road closure to be processed, and we work with emergency services like the police and the fire service to organise them. So to avoid disappointment, we urge you to get your application in as soon as possible."

Street parties are simple to organise and as long as they are only open to residents and neighbours and alcohol is not being sold, then they do not need a licence.

A Temporary Road Closure Notice may be needed and the team at Wychavon will be able to offer support and guidance on the process.

To allow enough time for the VE Day Temporary Road Closure Notice to be processed, applications need to be submitted by Friday, April 24.

To apply for a Temporary Road Closure Notice visit wychavon.gov.uk/temproadclosures.

For more information on how to complete the Temporary Road Closure Notice form, contact David Hood on 01386 565284 or e-mail david.hood@wychavon.gov.uk.