Firework championships due to be held in Plymouth

The 25th annual British Firework Championships are due to be held in Plymouth next week.

Six companies will compete to have the best display on 17 and 18 August.

Organisers said there would be a special Platinum Jubilee sequence to celebrate the Queen's 70 years of service.

The show has taken place over the years regardless of the weather or outside events apart from when it was cancelled during the pandemic.

In 1998 the show was able to go ahead despite the discovery of a nearby unexploded World War Two bomb, while in 2012 the displays went ahead but it was deemed too wet for a fair judging process.

The event is run by Plymouth City Council in partnership with The Event Services Association.

Councillor Pat Patel, cabinet member for customer services, culture, leisure & sport at Plymouth City Council, said the "natural amphitheatre of Plymouth Sound provided a perfect setting".

He said: "We've been proud hosts of this event for the last 25 years and in that time it has truly become part of Plymouth's DNA, so we're looking forward to another spectacular show this year."

All proceeds from the firework programme sales will go to the RNLI.

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].