The bells of Hackney churches will ring out to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (VJ Day).

Churches across the borough including St John at Hackney, St Mark’s Dalston and St Mary in Stoke Newington took in a national event called Ringing and Crying Out for peace at 11am.

The bells rung 75 times to remember the day Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II effectively bringing an end to the conflict.

Tower captains and church wardens across the country will also read out a passage called Cry for peace around the world.

They will cry: “We mustn’t forget, the war in the far east, or the lives which were lost, before the battles were ceased.”

Tower Captain Steve Jakeman at St John at Hackney says one bell at each church was rung on the day.

He told the Gazette: “[It’s an] improvement on Victory in Europe Day in May when all events including bells being rung were cancelled.”