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The first Norman knew of VE Day was at breakfast when his mother told him that the war was over, although that was not strictly speaking correct. The bomb had yet to be dropped on Hiroshima to end the Far East conflict.

A street party was out of the question as Heathgates Bank was on the busy A49 road. So, their celebrations were in his grandma's street.

The day commenced with the grown-ups carrying trestle tables and chairs from St Michael's Parish Room to make a long line in the centre of the road. White tablecloths appeared and covered the rough wood table tops. Bunting was strung across from house to house. One of the neighbours, Mrs Glover and her two daughters had been hoarding it ready for the big day along with loads of other things.

In fact everyone had been saving up rationed goods for this moment. Tins of corned beef, ham, peaches, pears…the list was endless. Cakes were baked, sandwiches made, jelly and blancmange prepared and left to cool on quarry tile floors, recalls Norman.

There were other, now forgotten, treats for kids – junket made with rennet and a packeted pudding called Selona. An urn had been borrowed for tea making and jugs got ready for transporting beer from The Dolphin pub.

Women had been working non-stop all day when Norman and his family got there in the afternoon and were greeted by the colourful scene. They didn't arrive empty handed either as his mum had been baking since all day.

As soon as The Dolphin opened the procession of jugs of beer commenced and soon a piano was dragged into the street. The singing and dancing began and Norman enjoyed the cigarette he had been promised for Victory Day.

However, Norman explains, the end of the war did not end the strictures of rationing. Shop keepers limited he quantities that consumers could buy.

Norman remembers the end of rationing when he was on national service towards the end of 1954.

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