The chairman of Essex County Council set a beacon ablaze to mark the mark 70th anniversary of VE Day.

The event took place at Weald Country Park, South Weald, on Friday evening and started with a fanfare, before councillor Norman Hume read out a tribute.

He then lit the Essex beacon, forming part of a national chain of beacons.

Councillor Roger Hirst, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for Customer Services, Libraries, Planning and the Environment, the 3rd Brentwood Scouts and Cubs and the Brentwood Air Cadets were also in attendance.