Beacons will light the night sky to mark 70 years since victory in Europe

The Government has announced a three-day festival of celebrations for VE Day, with the Royal British Legion and community groups staging local events.

And beacons will be lit at more than 100 landmarks across the country on the evening of May 8.

Exact locations have not yet been chosen but Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell, Birmingham and Staffordshire councils have all been invited to take part.

It comes after beacons were lit at Dudley Castle and the Clent Hills for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Zoo spokeswoman Jill Hitchman said she was not currently aware of any plans to host a beacon there this time.

Services are also being held in towns and cities alongside the main national events in London.

There will be services at the St Peter's Square war memorial in Wolverhampton at 11.30am on May 8, while a march and service led by civic dignitaries and veterans is being planned in Dudley.

Sandwell's commemorations will centre around Oldbury, where a service will take place at the cenotaph on May 10 at 10.30am. It will be based on the order of service from the event on VE Day in 1945.

There will also be entertainment afterwards at the Royal British Legion club in Windsor Road.

Council bosses said they were not aware of any events planned for Walsall town centre.

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In Pelsall there will be a short service at the memorial at 11am on May 8, followed by a more formal ceremony and wreath-laying at midday on May 10.

The National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas will hold events on May 10 from 9am, including a service and 1940s-style music and entertainment.

And although no events are being held in Stafford around VE Day itself, it will be marked, along with Victory in Japan Day, at a joint service on June 20 at St Mary's Church at 11am.

VE Day otherwise known as 'Victory in Europe Day' sparked scenes of celebration across western Europe in 1945. While the signature of military surrender was signed on May 7 in Reims, France, it was on May 8 it was signed in Berlin, Germany.

Oldbury RBL branch chairman Adrian Dunn said: "This is a very important event and there is a lot of work going into it to make sure it is a day for the community."

A service of remembrance will be held at The Cenotaph in London on May 8, including a national two- minute silence at 3pm, marking the moment Winston Churchill broadcast his historic speech formally announcing the end of the war.

The Department for Education will be encouraging schools across the country to observe the silence and to celebrate and commemorate in their own way – for example, by reading out Churchill's historic speech, holding special VE Day-themed assemblies or organising tea parties.

Cathedrals and churches will be invited to ring their bells in celebration at 11am on May 9.

On May 10 a service of thanksgiving will be held at Westminster Abbey, attended by veterans and their families, members of the royal family, representatives of allied nations and Commonwealth countries who fought alongside Britain in the conflict, along with other diplomatic representatives and senior members of government and the armed forces.