ILKLEY Town Council is postponing the VE/VJ Day event which was planned to take place in May.

The council had been in the process of organising the event which was to have been held in the Manor House on Saturday, May 9.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ros Brown, who has been leading the preparations, said: “We were delighted to be working with Ilkley Civic Society, the Manor House and All Saints Church to provide a wonderful street party with entertainment for the town’s residents.

“This event will be postponed until the autumn now due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

“Our concern is for the health of everyone who was due to be involved and we look forward to resuming preparations as soon as we are advised it is safe to do so.”

She added: “Interestingly, 75 years ago there were no celebrations in Ilkley to mark VE Day at the time as many people were still making their way home from across the globe. The event was then marked in Ilkley in the September, after VJ Day. We look forward to enjoying the street party alongside an exhibition by Ilkley Civic Society’s Local History Hub where people can find out more about what actually happened in Ilkley in 1945.”

Anyone interested in volunteering their help at the event should contact the Clerk at clerk@towncouncil.ilkley.org

In February the Royal British Legion and the Government called for members of the Second World War generation to take part in events celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

A raft of plans were drawn up nationally to mark the occasion, including a display by the Red Arrows and a Battle of Britain memorial flight above Buckingham Palace.

The Government had already announced that the traditional early May bank holiday would be moved from Monday May 4 to Friday May 8 to celebrate the anniversary.

National plans included a procession down The Mall. Veterans had also been invited to a service of thanksgiving held at Westminster Abbey while street parties were expected to be held across the country.

It was also planned to turn St James’s Park into Victory Park, featuring examples of what life in Britain was like during the war. The RBL had looked for all those who contributed to the war effort to take part in the events celebrating their role.