EVERYBODY needs good neighbours and residents in a Stourbridge cul-de-sac proved they are also good friends when they teamed up to stage a socially distant surprise birthday party.

David Spruce had planned on his wife Valerie's 60th birthday bash being a celebration to remember but the coronavirus pandemic put paid to his well laid plans to mark the big day.

However - with community spirit at an all time high after a successful VE Day party in the street - kind-hearted neighbours in Hemmings Close in the Old Quarter joined forces to help put on another street party for Val's milestone birthday.

A letter was sent out to all nine homes in the close and David said: "We'd recently had a great VE Day street party so I thought we could do it again. To my joy everybody replied to the letter and wanted to be part of it.

"So just before 6pm Val's best friend Sue Aston called and took her out for a little while on a walk with our dogs and while she was out every house got the chairs and bunting out for a street party.

"At 6.45 Val returned to all our neighbours singing Happy Birthday.

"A great few hours were had with a few of beers or two and my surprise was successful."