Extra bank holiday 'planned for next year' as UK set to celebrate major anniversary

World War Two veterans, astir 70,000 of whom stay successful 2024, person fixed their afloat enactment to the prospective plans that could springiness Britons an other four-day weekend

Britons volition nett an other slope vacation disconnected successful 2025 acknowledgment to the accomplishment of a large anniversary.

The UK is acceptable to enactment successful a four-day solemnisation of the Greatest Generation with a bonus slope vacation marking the extremity of World War Two. The 80th day of Victory successful Europe time falls connected May 5 adjacent year, and volition spot millions of radical retrieve the infinitesimal the Allies successful Europe accepted Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender successful 1945.

The bumper twelvemonth volition besides spot radical people Victory implicit Japan Day - the effectual extremity of planetary hostilities - which falls somewhat aboriginal connected August 15, providing 2 opportunities for extended weekend. Britons volition bask immoderate other clip disconnected to commemorate 1 of these landmark dates, with an announcement reportedly imminent.

The Daily Express reports that the Government has not yet decided which play would beryllium extended to 4 days, but volition marque an announcement regarding plans astatine immoderate point. Regardless of which time the vacation falls, it volition apt beryllium the past accidental radical person to springiness their acknowledgment to brave World War Two veterans.

While millions of radical served successful the conflict, precious fewer are live successful 2024, with astir 70,000 radical who fought betwixt 1939 to 1945 remaining today. Among plans projected to honour the veterans and the aggregate milestones is simply a four-day jamboree, the Express reports.

Veterans person fixed their backing to the teased celebrations, with Market Garden Veteran Geoff Roberts, 99, saying helium thinks it is "very important" to retrieve those who gave their lives for state and bid successful Europe. Geoff, who was captured successful the airborne battle connected Arnhem successful 1944 and held arsenic a captive of war, said an other slope vacation would assistance "remind radical astir what's happened".

He said: "I deliberation it’s precise important successful these existent times we retrieve those that gave their lives for our state and bid successful Europe. We should ne'er hide them. Maybe an other slope vacation volition assistance to punctual radical astir what’s happened successful the past." Marie Scott, 98, who was 17 connected D-Day, agreed.

Ms Scott worked successful a apical concealed underground bunker passing coded messages betwixt subject commanders to their troops arsenic they landed connected the beaches of Normandy. She heard the terrifying sounds from the formation during the landmark battle. She said: “An further slope vacation would beryllium an accidental to convey each those fantastic radical who made specified a spectacular triumph imaginable because, without them, the aboriginal could person been precise dire indeed.”