THERE were spam sandwiches, field guns in the street and a 1,000lb bomb on loan from ROF Glascoed as Abergavenny celebrated the 60th anniversary of VE Day.

Hundreds of people lined the streets as the celebration and commemoration VE event on Sunday travelled from Bailey Park to Cross Street where a remembrance service was led by the Rev Jeremy Winstone, of St Mary's Church.

War veterans mingled with scouts and more than 50 children dressed as evacuees in the 15-minute long parade which included a Sherman tank, tractors, jeeps, motorcycles, 1940s fire engines, standard bearers and members of the Royal British Legion, SSAFA, Welsh Guards, Red Cross and WRVS.

The procession also included three marching bands - the Powys Army Cadet Band, the Abergavenny Air Training Corps Band and the Abergavenny Borough Band.

Organised by Abergavenny Town Council's events committee, the VE day anniversary attracted £12,100 lottery funding.

Following the parade a street party for children was laid on by volunteers. "The day was aimed at the younger generation," said committee chairman Councillor John Prosser. "It was probably the last chance they had to see and speak to veterans to learn about what went on during the war."

Entertainment continued throughout the day in the market hall with displays of memorabilia, a mobile cinema, living history talks, wartime singalongs, a junior assault course, military band displays and a performance by Abergavenny's 22 piece teenage jazz band, the Kool Katz.

The day culminated with a sell-out evening concert and hog roast in the hall complete with a 16-piece Glen Miller-style band and an Andrews Sisters tribute.

DIAMOND DUO'S DOUBLE DELIGHT

FOR this Gwent couple, the 60th anniversary of VE Day was a doubly special occasion.

On May 7, 1945, the day that the Allies celebrated victory in Europe in the last months of World War Two, Kath and Gordon Morgan got married.

Mr Morgan was on leave from the Royal Navy before being posted to the Far East and he decided to marry the woman he met two years earlier at the pictures in their home town of Abergavenny.

"I know it was VE Day but I remember it as being very quiet," said Mr Morgan.

"Nothing was going on as far as I can recall, certainly no street parties." After the small family ceremony at Llanwenarth Baptist chapel in Govilon, the couple's reception was limited due to food rationing.

Mr Morgan recalls having one tomato, one slice of ham and lettuce. Before his wedding, Mr Morgan served on a tank landing craft and took part in the D-Day landings.

He said: "We just landed them and pulled away quickly. It was a bit hairy. "We were bombed a few times but I got away with it without injury."

Mr Morgan was demobbed in 1946 and joined the LMS railways where he remained until his retirement in the 1980s.

Mrs Morgan carried on her war work, at Cooper's engineering works, Llanfoist, as a welder, then became a housewife.

They had two children and four grandchildren and now live in Ponthir. Mrs Morgan, now 82, and her husband, 80, celebrated their diamond anniversary at the Red Lion, Caerleon, this weekend with their children, grandchildren and friends.

Mr Morgan said the secret to their long and happy marriage is "tolerance and love".