Thousands flock to Roundhay Park for Leeds' biggest Bonfire Night fireworks show

The night sky above Roundhay Park was transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour in Leeds' biggest fireworks display this evening.
Fireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard BinksFireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard Binks
Fireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard Binks

The annual Bonfire Night extravaganza drew thousands of spectators to the park once again.

A mild but drizzly day had cleared by the evening, so the only showers were those of glittery fireworks falling over the crowds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The entertainment kicked off with the lighting of the bonfire at 7.30pm.

Fireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard BinksFireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard Binks
Fireworks at Roundhay Park. Photo: Gerard Binks

At 8pm, the comperes led a countdown from 10, with a few pantomime-style false starts, before a 20-minute display of fireworks began.

Many children waved sparklers or battery-powered lights as they watched the show.

Pop music, fairground rides and food and drink stalls all added to the festive atmosphere.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lapman and Susan Ma, of Halton, were among those seeing the Roundhay Park fireworks for the first time, along with daughters Emily, 8, and Erica, 5.

Mr Ma said it was because this year, he finally had a day off work.

Mrs Ma said: “We can see East End Park from our house so we usually see those fireworks.

“We’ve come here this year because everyone says it’s really good.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leah Welsh and James McCarthy, of Seacroft, had taken along Mr McCarthy’s niece, four-year-old Daisy Harrop.

The pair said Daisy was a little nervous of the fireworks.

"The second we got here, she wanted to go home, so we'll see!" Ms Welsh said.

Mr McCarthy said he was a veteran of the event, having gone on and off for the past 25 years.

Access to the event was through security gates, with bag searches taking place at each entry point.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the end, the event passed fairly peacefully, although police could be seen approaching a group of people who were briefly throwing fireworks on the periphery of the park.

Some people decided not to go through the gates and instead watched the display while lying on the bonnets of their cars in the car park.

After it was all over, it was time for another tradition of the Roundhay Park experience, joining the traffic in the gridlocked streets as thousands filtered away.