British Firework Championships set to be a firecracking show

Residents and visitors that head to Plymouth’s waterfront next week will be wowed by six magnificent firework displays as some of the UK’s best pyrotechnics battle it out to be crowned British Firework Champions 2014.

Lighting up the skies, this explosive showdown will take place over two evenings - tomorrow (Tuesday 12 August) and Wednesday, 13 August.

Kicking off at 6.30pm each evening tens of thousands of spectators will be able to enjoy entertainment courtesy of Heart FM. This will include performances from Real Steel, Alice Sposito, the Street Factory, Sian Hoskins, Crash Duo, The Sound and Rockafella.

There will also be fairground rides and refreshment stalls and the first firework displays will start at around 9.30pm each evening as dusk falls.

Shellscape from Maidenhead in Berkshire will open the competition on the Tuesday, followed by Blitz Fireworks from Crewe in Cheshire and Northern Lights Fireworks from Trowbridge in Wiltshire.

The competition will continue on the Wednesday with PYRO 1 from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, followed by Reaction Fireworks from Stanley in County Durham. MLE Pyrotechnics from Daventry in Northants will close the competition with the finale performance.

Three panels of independent judges will be watching the displays and scoring them for their range of products, rhythm and design of the display as well as the overall effect. The company with the highest score will be announced on Wednesday night after all displays have been seen.

Deputy Leader of the Council Peter Smith said: “Britain’s Ocean City is proud to be hosting the British Firework Championships now in its 18th year. Tens of thousands of people watch the show and it’s one of the main highlights of the event calendar, and is one of the best firework shows in the UK.”

The championships are hosted by The Event Services Association (TESA) and Plymouth City Council in association with The Herald and the University of St Mark & St John.

For more information and for the entertainment schedule visit www.visitplymouth.co.uk/events/fireworks .