Video shows crowd letting off fireworks near HMS Warrior in Portsmouth

A group of people have been filmed letting off fireworks near the historic warship HMS Warrior in Portsmouth.

Andy Rigby, who posted the video on X (formerly Twitter), said a "drunken crowd" of about 50 people set fire to furniture and rubbish on The Hard on Tuesday evening.

He said: "They were directing fireworks out into the harbour. There was a noise of smashing bottles.

"I was there for a quarter of an hour, expecting the police to arrive soon, but nothing."

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the incident, first reported at 19:15 BST, was dealt with by the fire service and that "police were not required to attend".

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said it provided bonfire safety advice before informing the police and leaving the scene.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard said its security staff monitored the incident which was far from the ship and caused no damage.

Powered by steam and sail, HMS Warrior was one of the world's fastest and most powerful warships when it was launched in 1860.

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13 September 2023