Brightlingsea will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) day next week with events organised by the town council and museum.

On bank holiday Monday, May 5, Brightlingsea Museum will open its doors between 11am and 5pm for a special exhibition called Wartime Brightlingsea, which will focus on the time the town was a naval base – HMS Nemo – and residents were doing their bit on the Home Front.

An extra feature of the exhibition is a board of photos of Brightlingsea men and women who were on active service or in the Merchant Navy. Residents are invited to bring photos of family members who served which will be added to the display.

Alongside the exhibition will be games for younger visitors, period music and, at 2.45pm, a very special visit from a well-know wartime figure, who’ll arrive in an open-top Bentley and tour the town giving his victory speech.

On VE Day – May 8 – Brightlingsea’s Town Crier will read the Proclamation to the Anniversary at the War Memorial in Victoria Place at 9am. At 9.30pm, the Memorial will be the venue for the Lighting of the Beacon and reading of the Tribute by the town mayor John Carr, with attendees encouraged to sing the hymn I Vow to Thee My Country. And on Sunday May 11 at 3pm, there’ll be a VE Day 80th Anniversary Service at the War Memorial.

A two-minute national silence will be held on Thursday 8 May at 12 noon, to remember and thank those who fought for the country’s freedom.