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Video & pictures: 20,000 are thrilled by the Fireworks Fiesta 2009
A BREATHTAKING display brought the sky alive on Saturday evening, as almost 20,000 people celebrated Bonfire Night at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough.
A BREATHTAKING display brought the sky alive on Saturday evening, as almost 20,000 people celebrated Bonfire Night at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough.The crowd watched in awe while 25,000 of explosives were set off at Peterborough's annual Fireworks Fiesta.
The event has been organised for the last 33 years by Peterborough Round Table, Peterborough Rotary Club and Minster Rotary.
The 30 minute display included almost a thousand fireworks including a mixture of rockets, Chinese candles and exploding shells.
They were ignited electronically using over 12km of wire by a team led by Rotarian Phil Branston (60), from Eastfield, Peterborough.
He said: "Everything went fantastically – it was the best display we have ever done.
"We try to make it bigger and better every year to keep people coming back and I don't think anyone will be going home unhappy after that! There were 21 people helping us set off the fireworks and half a dozen volunteer firefighters and we couldn't have done it without them."
The show comprised of 500 exploding shells, 300 rockets, 200 large candles and 30 Chinese candles.
Before the display began a 20ft bonfire was lit by Mayor of Peterborough councillor Irene Walsh.
She said: "It is the first time I have ever lit a bonfire and it was very exciting, if a little nerve-wracking.
"The whole event has been quite spectacular and I was honoured to be invited to open the festival."
Seven lorries filled with wooden palettes were needed to build the bonfire, which burned quickly despite the rainfall on Saturday morning.
It burned so brightly the majority of the crowd soon moved back from the 30m safety distance.
There was also live music from the Lite FM sound stage, where the hosts provided a tie-in with Halloween. Host "Ghoulish" Gregg Nunney joined by his fellow DJs Ian Sharpe, who dressed as a vampire, and Nicky Clarke, who wore a ghostbusters boiler suit.
The displays have raised more than 300,000 for good causes since the fiesta first began in 1975.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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