ALICIA WILSON, who still occasionally drives a car, despite her 100 years, was delighted to attend her first street party yesterday.

She thinks there may have been one to mark the end of the Second World War in the nearby road where her parents lived – but she was otherwise occupied driving ambulances through war-torn Germany and France.

Like many millions of others, she has more than demonstrated her patriotism but described yesterday’s street party in Neville Road, Darlington, as a “pleasant surprise”.

She was one of about 150 friends and neighbours who gathered for a bite to eat against a background of music provided by Cockerton Vintage Brass band. But most of all, people enjoyed the pleasant communal experience of spending time in each other’s company – something we seldom have chance to sample in this modern age.

Estimates on the number of street parties held across the region vary, some putting the figure at well over 300, but it is clear there were many more than there were for the golden jubilee ten years ago or even last year’s royal wedding.

On the other hand, there were far fewer than the silver jubilee of 1977, when there were 760 street parties in County Durham and Tyne and Wear alone.

That said, more than 50 per cent of the population are expected to have watched the big televised events.

So are people more or less community minded and patriotic than years gone by?

Carrie Rutter headed the organisation for the Neville Road party, which also boasted a bouncy castle, children’s games and various other entertainment.

“I think people are very patriotic, as much as ever,”

she says.

“We had a toast to the Queen and it’s clear people love her and I think this is bigger than the royal wedding in some ways.

“For me, I remember the silver jubilee and I think I wanted to create a little bit of that.”

Her son, Ben Jones, 22, is an Army rifleman, who returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan three months ago. He believes the big turnout of his neighbours, most of whom he has never spoken to before, has been influenced by the economic downturn.

“I think the economic situation is bringing people together,”

he added. “Before people were in their own little worlds, but now people want to be together more.”

Rita Taylor, visiting her son, Andrew, and her grandchildren, in the street, believes the royal family have been coming across more positively in recent years but has a more straightforward explanation for the high number of street get-togethers.

“Everyone just loves a party.”