THE sky above Ilkley was alight with a multitude of colours on Saturday night as the local Lions club staged their 25th annual bonfire and fireworks display in aid of local charities.

All the colours of the rainbow -- and many more - were there as the Po Sang -sponsored event erupted into the night air.

The height the fireworks rose to before showering their glowing colours across the night sky brought gasps from the crowd and drew applause after every set piece.

Glitter mines, crackle candles, bombettes, shells and barrages raced what seemed miles into the air before cascading their ethereal light across the valley. This magnificent show had its sequences and set pieces sponsored by The Candy Box, Special Occasions, Rombalds Hotel, Artolicana, Mark Russell Furniture Clinic, Bluebird International, Pinsharp Photo Services and Po Sang ll all of Ilkley and the Red Lion Hotel of Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The East Holmes Field was packed with several thousand people as Ilkley Moor Lions -formerly Wharfedale Lions - celebrated their 25th annual event. Things did not however go exactly to plan as the 25 years set piece was accidentally set off by a stray spark in the middle of the programme when it should have provided the finale. Nevertheless it failed to detract from the enjoyment of this excellently organised event.

Lions secretary Jim Shelton and President John Hopwood have organised the event for all of those 25 years. They expressed their gratitude to the local firms who had sponsored the fireworks display; to St John Ambulance and the West Yorkshire Police but particularly to the Wharfedale Squadron ATC for all their help in building the bonfire and controlling the car park.