A VERY special golden jubilee street party has been taking place in Tavistock this week — and no-one has needed to worry about the weather spoiling the show.

Staff and more than 100 clients at Harewood Day Centre have spent the last five weeks busily painting scenery to create a wonderful indoor street party scene, transforming the centre to resemble a Tavistock road called Jubilee Street.

At one end of the room the wall has been decorated with green hills and Brentor Church. Flowers, butterflies, window boxes and house frontages adorn the side walls, while the far end of the room is watched over by a large painting of Sir Francis Drake by Fitzford Gatehouse.

The whole street scene has been gaily decorated with flags and bunting.

All the staff and clients have been involved in the jubilee project — Jo Lines even recruited her husband to help. It was his artistic talents which were put to good use painting Sir Francis Drake.

Dot Jones, care officer at Harewood, said everyone had enjoyed putting the street scene together.

Dot said: 'Some of them were a bit reluctant at the beginning, but now even people who didn't want to get involved have really enjoyed it.

'Even talking about the 50s and the memories has been good. The war years can be difficult for people to talk about but in the 1950s things were better and happier to look back at.'

A street party has been arranged every day during the week, with sherry and nibbles in the morning, a traditional English lunch, cream teas in the afternoon plus entertainments including bands and a display of dancing by the children of St Rumon's School.

In addition, many clients have contributed to a memory board which includes photographs of street parties celebrating the coronation and related subjects.

Some have even brought in original clothes, hats and bags which will be put on display.

And if that was not enough, all the clients at the day centre have been given a commemorative present of a mug, T-towel, spoon or teddy.

Maria Miles, 68, said she really enjoyed helping with the decorations.

Maria, who lives at Crelake, said: 'I've done a lot of paintings of flowers. I was going to do the butterflies but they were too hard! It's been fun, but then I enjoy everything we do here.'

Maria was living in London at the time of the coronation and did not really remember it well, but she was determined to enjoy the street parties.

'I come here three times a week so I get three parties,' she said.

Ivy Eynott of Tavistock has been unable to help with the decorations due to illness, but she could clearly remember the coronation.

Ivy, who is 89, said: 'I was in Whitehall in London. The procession was absolutely fabulous. It turned your stomach really, made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

'The atmosphere in the crowds was absolutely overwhelming!'

l Picture shows the clients and staff in party mood and they enjoy the celebrations in their very own Jubilee Street.