A great-grandmother who partied outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day says people will "never understand" what the day was like. Margaret Johns, 99, was working as a nurse in London when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies, ending almost six years of conflict in Europe, on 8 May 1945.

Buckingham Palace welcomes veterans after royal flypast as UK celebrates with tea parties - Four-day commemorations marking 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day got underway today

The words of Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech, spoken by actor Timothy Spall, began the commemorations, which featured a display by the Red Arrows during a flypast by 23 current and historic military aircraft , appearances by senior royals and street parties across the UK.