AS part of the country's VE Day commemorations, Monmouth lit a beacon as part of a chain stretching around the country.

Lit by High Sheriff of Gwent, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Tuggey, the beacon was one of more than 200 set up on Friday 8th May to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

The Queen lit the first of the chain in Great Windsor Park, before Monmouth's beacon, at Craig-y-Dorth, was set ablaze at 9.30pm.

Andrew said: "I think we just need to remember all the sacrifices that happened to enable us to enjoy the quality of life that we have at the moment.

"As someone said this morning we had an election yesterday. Had it not been for VE Day, we wouldn't have had one."