Heroic Lee-on-the-Solent key workers 'let their hair down' to celebrate VE Day in style

Police, military personnel and NHS workers living in Magister Drive, at Cherque Farm, Lee-on-the-Solent all united to throw a party.

Families dressed up for the occasion in vintage costumes and decked their house with bunting and flags.

Sarah Malcolm, who has lived in the street for 13 years, said it was a fantastic atmosphere for all the key workers in her road.

The 44-year-old, who works in the NHS as a locality director leading on urgent care transformation, said: ‘It’s been the first time we’ve been able to let our hair down and talk to each other outside of work. It feels very weird.

‘I work for the NHS. There are about five or six who work for the military, another is a police officer and one is a nurse.

‘But it’s nice to be able to come together as a community.’

Festivities started at 11am with the two-minutes’ silence, followed by the 3pm toast, and a party at 4pm.

Sarah added the support for NHS and all her fellow key workers had been ‘amazing’ since lockdown began.

‘It’s been a really stressful time but some really great things have come out of it,’ she added.

‘Hopefully this has made people realise how to use the health service and to not abuse it, which can sometimes happen.’