Elsie Ellis: I was blown off my bike by bomb blast

As a cyclist messenger, Elsie was responsible for carrying information about bomb damage in Salford and Manchester between Air Raid Wardens and their headquarters.

She would cycle among falling shrapnel and falling bombs. At only 16, she told the BBC that she was "looking for excitement".

Elsie now lives in a Royal Star and Garter home in Solihull.

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, please click hereto tell us a little bit more or use one of the methods below.

Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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