The coronavirus crisis has forced local authorities to cancel the official Victory in Europe celebrations across the Harrogate district, but one local group has vowed to keep the festivities going.

Celebrations were due to start with a concert of more than 400 school children at the Harrogate Convention Centre followed by a military parade at Ripon Racecourse and service at Ripon Cathedral.

Councillor Jim Clark had invited two special guests Arek Hersh, a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, and Sheila Pantin, who was involved in the British liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the concert.

The county council also organised street parties and other events showcasing memories of VE Day in several of its libraries.

All of those events have been cancelled but the council plans to hold concerts and street parties later this year.

Along with plenty of other events, the Oatlands Community Group (OCG) had planned to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day at the local community centre.

Instead it now had another plan. Victoria Smith-Dunn, the chair of OCG said:

Since the beginning of the lockdown, OCG and its volunteers have been delivering care packages to elderly and vulnerable residents in the Oatlands area.

To help celebrate virtually the group has prepared an Activity Pack containing information, bunting, colouring-in sheets and other ideas for engaging children in the day.

The pack can be downloaded from the social enterprise, myLifePool’s website for free or can be obtained by post at a cost of £1.75.