A "Garden of Delights" sprung up in the heart of Bradford as the city's International Festival got off to an explosively colourful start.

The stunning firework show, carefully choreographed to a dramatic soundtrack, lit up the clear night sky above Exchange Square last night.

And - true to the festival's new slogan for 2003 - the gasping audience loved every minute of the late night extravaganza.

Hundreds gathered to see the festival's opening event as ten days of dance, theatre, comedy, art, food and music was launched in spectacular fashion.

The show was put together by the festival with support from Arts Council England and was set alongside specially commissioned soundtrack.

Every explosion high above the nearby Leisure Exchange matched the mood of the accompanying music, which took the audience from a classical orchestra to an Afro-Caribbean carnival.

First there were dazzling rockets, then giant animated plants exploded into flames only yards in front of the crowd.

Then, as the music changed once again, a sunflower made up of hundreds of shining lights rose slowly, hundreds of feet into the air before sprouting a spray of pure white fireworks.

When it eventually stopped growing, it sparked another incredible display of huge rockets which exploded ferociously high above the city.

The show was visible from miles around.

Festival producer Robin Morley said he was delighted by the success of the opening night - and promised the event would continue to get better.

"We like to start with a bang and a lot of brilliant lights and we certainly did that this evening," he said. "But these are just the hors-d'oeuvres for the great feast that lies ahead - a free feast that lasts ten days."

And the festival goers who attended the grand opening were similarly enthusiastic.

Paul and Andrea Maloney, of Bradford Moor, were attending their first festival launch and said they loved every minute.

"It was brilliant," said Paul. "It certainly looked like there had been no expense spared and it is about time that we had stuff like this in Bradford. It had all been very carefully put together."

Marie Stephenson, of Great Horton, said: "It was a very good start to the festival and I already think that it has topped last year's."

Jed Forward, 12, and his brother Kai, 14, of Eccleshill, also enjoyed it.

"The finale was impressive and the whole thing was well put together," said Jed.