‘There were plenty of sore heads at Bletchley Park’: In their own words – how Britons celebrated VE Day 75 years ago

Dancing, drinking, singing and diving in fountains were all in order as country marked end of war, although for some the fighting was not yet over. Five people who lived through this moment in history tell Colin Drury how they remember it

Huge crowds took to the streets of London to celebrate the Allies' victory in World War Two (Getty Images)

When he took to the balcony at the Ministry of Health on 8 May, 1945, Winston Churchill – cigar in mouth – did what he had done many times before and captured the mood of the nation.

“In all our long history,” he told the crowds below, “we have never seen a greater day than this.”

This was exactly 75 years ago on Friday, and Great Britain was celebrating the end of World War Two in Europe.