VE Day commemoration events were being held in communities across West Somerset as residents marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

In Cutcombe, neighbours gathered together on Bank Holiday Monday for a rural street party.

Bunting was hung, tea, and wine, was drunk, and sandwiches and cake were eaten.

Special guest Edgar Webber, who turned 97 years old last month, joined in and said it was ‘wonderful’.

Organiser Wendy Schofield said: “Thank you to everybody who helped and attended, it was a lovely afternoon.”

Residents in Spring Gardens, Minehead, also enjoyed a VE Day street party organised by Debbie Sawatzki with help from Linda Bacon, James and Clare Baker, Charlotte Claydon, and others.

A minute’s silence was held for the fallen and to remember the reason why the occasion was being held.

Among the activities organised for the residents was a band performance, a barbecue, Irish bingo, a large amount of cakes, facepainting and glitter tattoos, a wartime quiz, and wartime music sorted by Debbie’s husband Richard, while a vintage car appearance was courtesy of Exmoor Autos.

In Wootton Courtenay, VE Day on Thursday started with villagers gathering on the steps of All Saints’ Church at 9 am for village crier Richard Oliver to read the VE Day proclamation.

A VE Day 80th anniversary flag was raised at the same time as a village barbecue on the playing fields at 1 pm, and Wootton Courtenay Bellringers rounded off the day by joining a nationwide evening ringing out in celebration of peace.

A songs of praise service was also being held in the church on Sunday (May 11) for villagers to ‘meet again’ with poetry, reminiscences, and hymns for the 80th anniversary.

In Timberscombe, St Petrock’s Church flagpole saw the flag raised to mark both the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and the upcoming VJ Day anniversary which will be on August 15.

Timberscombe bellringers led by tower captain Elisabeth Powls also joined in the evening ringing in line with many churches across Britain to recreate the occasion from 1945.

St Petrock’s hosted a tea party with cakes perhaps reminiscences, and the church and Post Office made booklets available for sale detailing the stories of local residents who served and were remembered with gratitude, as well as a book by local historian and author Alan Hines, who carefully researched the stories of evacuees who came to the area.

Much of the information was also available online through Timberscombe History Group, which currently features the village Home Guard.

Dulverton residents were invited to tea and cakes in Dulverton Town Hall, where there was a special screening of the movie The Land Girls, partly filmed in the town hall and other local spots.

Exmoor benefice bellringers also joined the national ringing in the evening, with bells joining in succession from Brushford, Withiel Florey, Brompton Regis, and finally Dulverton.

Services were also being held at the Watchet War Memorial, and the Memorial Shelter in Williton, with a beacon lighting in the evening.