Helping their mother Philippa Disilvestro to make the bunting for the VE Day celebrations at their Ripon home added to the enjoyment of the occasion for six-year-old Sofia and her two-year-old sister Lilliana.

The family, who live in North Street, created a string of flags with VE Day designs on, which the children coloured in and Mrs Disilvestro told The Stray Ferret:

“We wanted to do something to mark the 75th anniversary. Sofia and Liliana had a lot of fun giving me a helping hand.”

With the bunting attached to front garden railings, they added to the patriotic scene witnessed in many parts of the city.

In nearby Princess Road, Margaret McDermott turned flag maker to join in the celebrations. She said:

“I hadn’t realised how difficult it was to get the Union Flag right – it took me quite a while – so I’m going to put it away safely to use again for the next anniversary celebration.”

She added:

“We had been looking forward to a street party and then coronavirus came along!”

As well as the flag, that she painted herself, Mrs McDermott also painted soldiers, following a design she had seen in a national newspaper, creating an impressive display that sums up the emotion and relief that would have been felt by service men and women at news that the war in Europe was at an end.

The VE Day 75th anniversary was celebrated in many shapes and forms across the Harrogate district and perhaps among the most imaginative came in North Stainley, where villagers created a scarecrow trail.

The main road through the village was lined with the painstakingly-produced characters dressed in 1940s clothing, while numerous Union flags fluttered in the light breeze of a sunlit day.

The figures ranged from the scarecrow soldier at North Stainley Primary School, next to a poppy design and the message ‘Lest We Forget’, to a Land Army girl outside a private house and the Vicar, celebrating Victory in Europe in gateway to the church of St Mary The Virgin.

Harrogate Neighbours overcame the problem of social distancing to put on a special day of VE Day celebrations for the residents of The Cuttings in Starbeck and Heath Lodge in Harrogate. Drake’s Fish and Chips in Knaresborough arrived with an appropriately-dressed team to deliver lunch.

A festival designed to bring people together online has proved a hit with communities across the Harrogate district.

HG Community Lockdown Fest has more than 60 activities scheduled across the bank holiday weekend, including VE Day celebrations on Friday. Among the online performances was a wartime-style song from The Haddow Sisters in Harrogate (shown above), reminiscent of popular 1940s group The Andrews Sisters.

Each session is free, but participants are being encouraged to donate what they can to Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity when they sign up. The fundraising total at the end of Friday stood at £500.

On top of that, Harrogate Town AFC is putting its weight behind the weekend, auctioning off a signed shirt this afternoon and contributing more than £600 for the charity.

Local history

Mental health webinars, children’s Spanish classes, cooking workshops and an online beer-tasting will be held today. Tomorrow, with the weather expected to turn colder, organisers are hopeful that the programme of interior design, floristry, singing, yoga and local history will prove even more popular.

Rebecca Oliver, who helped to put the weekend of events together, said:

“It’s impossible to say how many participants we’ve had, but every event has had someone taking part – despite the amazing weather! We’ve got some great sessions still to come, including plenty on Sunday which are ideal for a rainy day.”

For more information, visit the event’s website: www.hglockdownfest.co.uk.

A Harrogate veteran who survived the D Day landings was the star of one of the town’s VE Day celebrations yesterday.

Sergeant John Rushton, known as “Jack” among friends had his spirits lifted as residents on his street went to great lengths to make his day special.

Jack is 95 years old and has been inside his house on Beech Road in Harrogate since lockdown started. But thanks to Vic- Smith Dunn, who lives on his street and runs the Oatlands community group, there was socially distant celebrations.

There was a heartwarming performance from 14-year-old Lucy Hall, who was playing the bagpipes as well a visit from Lieutenant Col Richard Hall who is the commanding officer at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Jack leant out his window to watch all the goings-on throughout the afternoon.

Jack was ready to celebrate.

Pateley Bridge came together with colour, music and bunting as it celebrated 75 years since Victory in Europe.

The town fell silent at 11am this morning before people began to set up in their front gardens for afternoon tea.

Residents in the town said it was important to come together as a community for VE Day while still abiding by the government’s social distancing guidance.

Merryfield cul-de-sac off Hartley Road in Harrogate where they had decked the road out in red, white and blue..

Alistair Ratcliffe (above) from the Oatlands Community Group prepared tea parcels to give out to the elderly and vulnerable. The group delivered around 150 today. One of the happy recipients who raised a glass to the group to say thank you….

Along Mallinson Oval there was a carnival atmosphere…

The residents of Tewitt Well Road in Harrogate came out in force this afternoon to sing the National Anthem and raise a glass to commemorate VE Day..

Here are more images from a noisy, happy road enjoying the day: