VILLAGERS in Earls Colne have raised hundreds of pounds for charity after hosting a VE Day street party.

Residents in De Vere Road didn’t let the coronavirus lockdown stop them celebrating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in style.

Residents up and down the street came together to put on party with plenty of traditional red, white and blue – as well as social distancing.

It is the second party the street has held since the lockdown began in March.

The first saw residents raise more than £100 for the NHS.

Homes received the full VE Day makeover last Friday, with residents even holding a competition for the best dressed house.

There was also a cake sale and a raffle with plenty of prizes on offer which meant, at the end of the day, the street had raised £530 which it set to be donated to the Royal British Legion and the NHS Colchester Covid-19 relief fund.

Revellers were also joined by resident DJ Paul Woodworth wearing his best Winston Churchill outfit.

The war-time leader look-alike took to the turntables, playing a selection music throughout the decades, starting in the 1940s. Event organiser Arline Sloan said: “Everyone on the road worked so hard to make VE Day a success.

“We raised £530 in donations in total which was an overwhelming amount of money.

“Everyone had a lovely time, stayed safe and the weather was on our side.

“The event started at 3pm and DJ Paul Woodworth provided us with World War Two snippets and the air raid siren, which brought us back to the Second World War.

“Paul also played us some wonderful Forties music and then moved on to the Sixties and through to the Noughties.

“The street events have definitely brought everyone together and we even have a De Vere Road Facebook group.”

Arline added: “Huge thanks again to Paul and Lorraine Woodworth, Ashlea Knight for providing some wonderful ideas and helping with the best dressed house and raffle, Becca Longhurst making wonderful cakes, sausage rolls, cheese straws and scones to sell, and also donating one cake to the raffle, Pamela Saunders helping with the raffle, setting up the stall, selling tickets and holding a plant sale which has also raised money which is included in the total.”