The annual Crewe Lions Club “Bonfire and Fireworks Night” lit up Queens Park delighting thousands of visitors, writes Jonathan White.
The impressive roaring bonfire – complete with a traditional Guy Fawkes effigy – made for a spectacular centrepiece.
Before the fireworks began, John Malam, director of Blitz Fireworks Ltd, thanked the audience for their fantastic support.
He acknowledged the rise in adult entry fees over the past two years but all proceeds go to support local causes and community projects.
The crowd joined in a countdown from 10 to 1 before the sky erupted into a breathtaking 15-minute fireworks display set to upbeat music.
The show reached its grand finale with “The Greatest Show” from the hit musical The Greatest Showman, earning cheers and applause from the crowd.
Visitors enjoyed perfect weather conditions – dry, mild, and windless – with refreshments, food stalls and a funfair kept keeping everyone entertained.
Organisers from the Lions said volunteer numbers have been declining with fewer people stepping forward to help run large-scale community events.
But the club says it is committed to keeping the bonfire night tradition alive.
It is a vital fundraiser supporting local causes from youth programmes to care for elderly residents.
Formed in 1958, Crewe Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, serving the community through fundraising and humanitarian support.
The annual bonfire and fireworks night remains its biggest event of the year.
Anyone interested in volunteering or finding out more about the club is warmly encouraged to get in touch via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/welcome2crewelions or by email at [email protected]
The organisers need to seriously review their safety procedures.
Main gates were locked for a good 10 to 15 minutes after the organisers opened the bridge to let people leave.
Security staff were non existent and hiding at the back of the large crowd gathering to waiting for the key holder to be found to open the gates. Had an emergency situation arose, there could have been a very serious incident due to the gates being locked and nobody having a key to open the gates.
Please review your safety procedures and security staff.