Cosham fireworks go off with a bang at 'magnificent' display enjoyed by thousands of revellers

At least 10,000 revellers piled onto King George V Playing Fields, in Cosham, yesterday evening to see the city’s skyline light up at the Cosham Bonfire and Fireworks Display.

The Bonfire Night celebrations, which were pushed back by a week due to the heavy rain and strong winds brought by Storm Claudio, saw high-spirited guests enjoy an under 12’s funfair as well as an array of hot food and refreshment vendors to keep them warm on the chilly November evening.

Mark Fawkes and his four-year-old daughter Willow-Grace were just two merrymakers enjoying the evening's festivities for the time since the pandemic.

Mark, from Southsea, said: ‘We came just before Covid, before then I hadn’t been since I was little. It’s a hell of a lot busier, probably because of lockdown and most of the firework's displays have been cancelled because of budgets. Last time we came it was raining quite heavily so this is an improvement!’

The free event, funded and organised by Portsmouth City Council, was open from 4pm with the bonfire lit at 6.30 and the fireworks going off without a hitch on the dot of 7.30pm.

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Maura Read, from Baffins, and Steve Weatherill, from Fratton, were also there to enjoy the occasion. Steve said: ‘It’s my first time! It looks absolutely magnificent. It’s an important local community event.

‘I’ve been before, but it seems weird because we haven't been for years,’ added Maura

Zelda and Duard Van Der Westhuizen, who are originally from South Africa but moved to Portchester six years ago, came to the display with 11-year-old daughter Lexi and two other family members, Jackie and Albert Erasmus, who live in Emsworth. None of them had seen the city’s display before. Zelda said: ‘I used to work at Lakeside, and we always said we should come here, this is the place to be.’

Jackie added: ‘Last year everyone wanted to stay far away from each other, this year we can actually get out and enjoy it! We just had a hot dog, we’re having a great time.’