Display Guide
ON THE NIGHT REMEMBER...To light fireworks at arms length with the Portfires provided
Never to smoke while handling fireworks
Not to have more than three or four people lighting fireworks
Not to fire rockets or other aerial fireworks over the heads of spectators
Not to allow people to bring their own fireworks (including sparklers)
Not to touch a dud firework for at least half an hour and then hold it away from your face
Never to use petrol or paraffin to light the bonfire
Not to let children gather spent fireworks after the display
Not to let any unauthorised people into the firing area before or after the display
Make sure the bonfire is out completely and the site left in a safe condition
DISPLAY GUIDE
Ever wondered how to fire displays like the professionals? Here are some top tips to help you make your display more lively, artistic and professional.
1. Be Safe. It has to be anyone's number one priority, no matter how experienced they are. Check out our safety guide if you need some help.
2. A display above water can be spectacular - the reflection gives you twice the light for your fireworks!
3. Beware of Backlighting. The darker the background to your display, the more spectacular it will look.
4. Multiple Fountains. For a bouquet of sparks and fire, set off several fountains together but remember to be safe and keep them vertical.
5. The More the Merrier. Rockets look good on their own, but set them off in twos or more together to dramatically increase your display's professionalism.
6. Take it Easy. A single ignition display or cake will give 1000 times the continuity as a few small, separate fireworks of the same price and save you the work of lighting each one.
7. Think Big. Get together with your friends and neighbours to get a joint display going. It'll be bigger, more social, more impressive and often work out cheaper - everyone's a winner!
8. Be creative. The fireworks have descriptions of their effects on them so use your mind's eye to imagine great combinations of colours and effects. Get ideas from professional displays.
9. Don't limit your firework skills to just one night a year. They enhance birthdays, parties, New Year's Eve and add an extremely romantic touch to weddings. They also make an original present for any of these occasions.
10. Play music with your display, a dramatic piece of music can make even the most mundane firework seem spectacular.
11. Be safe. This has to be repeated as it should always be the main priority of a display of any size. Please read our safety guide for more details. Also, if you are hiring a firework company to do a display check out their safety record.
FIREWORK TYPES
Fountains
These are normally a tube or a volcano, but they can be multiple units fused together in a much larger package. They can emit crackles whistles or showers of sparks. Usually inserted upright in soft earth but can be tied to an upright stake. The golden rule is not to allow them to fall over.
Setpieces
These are fireworks that need attaching to a post or posts. They can be static devices or spinners or a combination of both. Fireworks such as Display Waterfalls or Flying Pigeons need two posts and the rope between the two should be under as much tension as possible. Take care that sparks from these devices do not ignite other fireworks and vice versa.
Roman Candles
A long thin firework that projects a number of stars or effects into the air. Roman candle bouquets are a number of candles angled on a frame and barrages, bundles and cakes are a number of candles fused together for single ignition. Usually roman candles are inserted upright in soft earth but they can be tied to an upright stake. The important thing is to make sure they are stable and that they will not fall over. Angle them slightly away from spectators and ensure there are no overhead obstructions.
Mines
These are usually a pot with a large projecting fuse as in a Jack in a Box, and are inserted upright in soft ground prior to firing. They can also be very powerful mines ready loaded into mortar tubes which need to be buried to 2/3rds their depth. After ignition mines erupt dramatically with stars or effects straight from the pot or tube. Mines, especially mortar mines are dangerous if misused. Please read all instructions thoroughly.
Rockets
A familiar firework consisting of a motor and head on a long stick. The motor propels the rocket high in the sky where the explosion releases the stars or effects. Rockets must be fired from a tube or rack placed at the rear of the display. Angle slightly away from spectators, make sure there are no overhead obstructions and ensure there is a safe area for the spent rockets to land.