The future of the Bingley Bonfire is under threat after this year’s event was branded a “disaster”.

Organiser Michael Heaton estimated that about £12,000 would be lost on Saturday’s event as a result of awful weather conditions.

Mr Heaton said about 1,500 people turned up to the bonfire at Myrtle Park – down from 4,000 last year and 7,000 in 2011.

“It was a disaster, to be honest,” said Mr Heaton, who thanked the people who did turn up. “Despite all the best endeavours of volunteers and teams of people who helped, the weather counted against us.

“It could impact on whether next year’s event goes ahead – we have probably lost about £12,000. It is not a good story, but we have to tell the truth.”

He added: “With an event like that, when you have the bonfire built and the fireworks assembled and everything else set up, we just had to go on.

“We had a huge thunder storm lighting the whole of Bingley up at about 5.15pm. We thought that was it, but it just got worse and worse and worse – there were hailstones and very heavy rain.

“It is very demoralising. And the sad part is it is not a commercial exercise – it is for charity.

“We have to appraise the situation now. We have lost £12,000, which will take an awful lot of recuperation.”

The Bingley Bonfire event, described as an iconic part of Bingley life, started in 1972 on land at Bailey Old Hills. It moved to Myrtle Park in 1977.

Mr Heaton said: “There are so many locals involved in it, such as army cadets, the swimming club and Bradford Cathedral singers.”

He added: “We have to have some retention money, obviously.

“Whatever we earn, once we have paid bills and expenses, we donate it all to charity.

“But we are down £12,000 and that is a huge amount of money.”