CELEBRATIONS were held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the opening of an Edmonton park by remembering life in the town before the Second World War began.

The celebrations for Jubilee Park, held by Friends of Jubilee Park and Houndsfield Primary School yesterday morning, began at the main entrance in Galliard Road, where the two groups took part in their weekly walk around the park.

Approximately 90 people attended the event, where they also waved Union Jack flags in the spirit of the occasion.

The friends of Jubilee Park then got together for an ‘Evocation of 1939’.

Chairman Peter Armstrong said: “The park was opened seven weeks before war began and we wanted to bring back the spirit of the time.

“It went extremely well. We had photos of some of the walkers from when they were young in the Thirties and Forties and people had to guess who was who.

“A lot of the people involved are born and bred in Edmonton so they were able to remember what it was like at the time.”

Second World War memorabilia was on display in the Jubilee Park hall, including air raid warden helmets and small containers in which babies were kept as an alternative to gas masks.

Each week, pupils from Houndsfield Primary School, in Ripon Road, Edmonton, and the Friends of Jubilee Park walk up to two miles around the park as a way of encouraging physical exercise.

Mr Armstrong said: “The school has joined us in this for the past six to seven weeks.

“There could be anything from 50 to 110 of us walking and it is quite a spectacle for everyone to see that.”

Readers interested in joining the walks can turn up at the park at 9.15am on Tuesdays.

The Jubilee Park covers a 52-acre area and was built in June 1939 over former brick works.

A larger event, open to the public, to commemorate the anniversary will be held on July 11.