MORE than 10,000 visitors donned their wellies and defied the recent bad weather to attend Blackburn’s annual bonfire and fireworks display.

Families and children packed out Witton Country Park to see £4,500 worth of fireworks set off alongside the traditional 30ft fire.

Saturday’s festivities were organised by the Bonfire Management Committee, made up of Blackburn’s Rotary Club, Round Table and Lions groups.

And funding was supplied by the Bonfire Management Committee and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

It was the major bonfire in East Lancashire although dozens of smaller ones also took place.

Spectator Craig Spence, of Stanley Range, Blackburn said: “The fire works were excellent. My daughter especially had a great time.

“I was really impressed with the whole event. It was a lot of fun.”

The turn out was less than expected, given the cancellation of Clitheroe Community Bonfire after concerns by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

The regular bonfire at the Prairie playing fields in Burnley also did not go ahead.

Frank Barratt, chairman of the Bonfire Management Committee, said: “We are really pleased how the event went. We had plenty of visitors who all seemed to have a good time and no incidents of note.

“I’d like to thank everyone who attended and made a generous donation. We should find out in about a week how much we managed to raise for charity.”