Hitler considered the Channel Islands - Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm - a valuable landing stage for the invasion of mainland France, as they sat just 20 miles off the French coast.

The Channel Islands were the only parts of the British Isles to fall under German rule in the war. Next month they mark 70 years of freedom. Chris Leadbeater hears their tale in Guernsey and Jersey.

More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Wednesday Jersey Evening Post Staff at Bel Royal Motors got a surprise on Tuesday afternoon when a swarm of bees took a fancy to a Mazda 6 ...

In June 1940, the Germans invaded the Channel Islands to little resistance. The British Government decided that the islands were of little strategic importance and defending them would be a waste ...

When the Channel Islands were deemed indefensible by Winston Churchill, their occupation by the Germans became an inevitability. Adolf Hitler saw the five islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney ...

A 25-tonne tank which was stationed in Jersey during the Nazi occupation is to return to the island this month. The French Char B was captured by the Germans when they invaded France and 17 were sent, ...

There were also important changes in island law - divorce was legalised in 1949, the Channel Island Court of Appeal was brought into operation in 1964, and a Juvenile Court was created in 1969.

The Channel Islands are marking 78 years of freedom. Credit: ITV Channel The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be invaded by German troops during the Second World War .

Yet, if someone in Jersey today speaks of “The Occupation”, there is no question they are referring to anything other than the occupation by Nazi Germany from 1 July 1940 to 9 May 1945.

For one family in St Peter in Jersey, life had much the same routine as it did before, as they were running the village store. Our reporter Hannah Bechelet has been to speak to two members of the ...