On Thursday commemorations will be marked by a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey and V E Day 80: A Celebration to Remember, an evening concert at Horse Guards Parade. Expected to draw over 10,000 attendees, the concert will feature stars such as Samantha Barks, Fleur East and John Newman.

Britain is uniting to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, with the Red Arrows set to streak across the skies today (Monday, May 5). The day commemorates the official defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, bringing the Second World War to a close in Europe after six gruelling years.