Local News in Reading Bonfire night goes with a bang! CELEBRATIONS went off with a bang this weekend as thousands of people enjoyed spectacular firework displays all over town. The theme certainly seemed to be ‘the bigger the better’ as spectators were treated to a mass of colour and sound as they gazed up into the clear winter sky. Families were at the heart of it all in Earley as the Lions Club of Woodley and Earley put together a fantastic show. Advertisement your story continues below The mild evening drew in the young and old and organisers at the event in Laurel Park on Saturday deemed the night a huge success. Thousands turned out to the display at the site in Rushey Way and were greeted with a well-organised, friendly and charitable event in the heart of the community. Sue Boothroyd, president of the club and an organiser of the event, said: “It was really great to see such a strong family turnout this year. “We do not know the exact numbers yet but we are talking well into the thousands which is a huge boost in raising money for charity. “Every penny made goes to a local charity, which will be decided at our next meeting and I would just like to thank all the people who came along and supported us. “We were all treated to a superb display of fireworks and the general mood definitely seemed to be that we had outdone ourselves since last year. Now we have to start planning how we can do even better next year.” Rachel and John Barlow, who had come from Twyford for the event, said: “It has a really great family feel here and it has a lovely atmosphere in which to stand back and enjoy the show. “They put on a marvellous display and we are very glad we made the effort to come.” Lower Earley couple Mike and Rebecca Ferguson and their son Godfrey, aged three, were also enjoying the night. They said: “It is a very well organised and enjoyable display. We were here last year and Godfrey was so excited to come back, and this year has been even better. I think the weather certainly helps but the turnout is fantastic.” FIREFIGHTERS at Dee Road had a busy night on Saturday as they attended five bonfires around the area after calls from worried neighbours. Firefighter Rich Cooper said: “People just see flames and get concerned and think the bonfires are out of control. “We attended five houses on Saturday night but on arrival they were perfectly under control and we had no worries at all.” Reading crews were called to 20 firework or bonfire-related incidents over the weekend. There were 40 call-outs county-wide, none of them serious. One concerned neighbour range the brigade on Saturday night after a bonfire was left to burn all night. Caversham Road firefighters went to the playing fields in Coley Park in St Saviour’s Road just before 9pm, following the Coley Community Association display. They put out the fire but said it was not out of control and it had just continued to burn after the display finished. First printed in: Reading Evening Post
Todos los años, alrededor del 5 de noviembre, Gran Bretaña y algunas partes de la Commonwealth festejan la Noche de Guy Fawkes, o la Noche de Fuegos Artificiales (''Bonfire Night''), para conmemorar al disidente de York y sus conspiradores católicos, quienes fallaron en volar una de las casas del parlamento el 5 de noviembre de 1605. El llamado 'plan de pólvora' (''Gunpowder Plot'') se celebra con fuegos artificiales, fogatas y efigies de Guy Fawkes.

Expertos en fuegos, siempre ocupados en esta época del año, han pedido el uso seguro y legal de la pirotecnia utilizada, y han pedido a los habitantes a ir a shows públicos organizados. Notablemente, la ciudad de York no festejará la fecha este año, ya que las medidas de salud y seguridad incrementarían los costos excesivamente.

Críticos han destacado que las fogatas y la pirotecnia no son ecológicamente amistosos. Las pilas de madera que son preparadas con anterioridad atraen a criaturas invernantes a hacer sus nidos en la madera, y los cuales podrían ser incinerados en las fogatas. Algunos también sugieren que el ataque fallido de Fawkes no es algo para conmemorar en lo absoluto.