Children enjoyed a spectacular firework display during Bradford’s Christmas lights switch-on but their parents were left underwhelmed when the main event lasted just 20 minutes.

Hundreds of people packed in to Centenary Square on Saturday to watch Roy the Christmas Wizard present a family-friendly show about the spirit of Christmas before the city’s lights were officially turned-on, heralding the start of the festive season in Bradford.

The performance, which was set to music and started just before 5.30pm, featured an almost constant stream of fireworks and jets of fire, which shot upwards from the front and sides of the stage. City Hall was lit purple and green in the background and there was also a giant mechanical ice queen on-stage operated by two puppeteers.

For the grand finale, the Christmas Wizard led the audience in a countdown to the switch-on, followed by an even bigger fireworks display. The event came to a close before 6pm, with many people asking “Is that it?” as they made their way out of the square.

Becky Calvert, from Thornton, brought her two-year-old son Rhys and five-year-old daughter Leah, to watch. She said: “The children loved it but it could have lasted a bit longer. I rushed about to find a parking space and it’s all over and done with in 20 minutes.”

Leonna Fozzard, from Allerton, said she also felt the main event was too short, but her children Leah, four, and Satchin, eight, had a good time.

Shazia Ali, from Bradford, added: “It didn’t last long enough but we really enjoyed what we saw.”

The fire and ice-themed event was organised by Bradford Council. It started mid-morning with a city centre ice sculpture trail before shoppers watched a piece of ice being sculpted in a showpiece by Bradford artist Jamie Wardley.

The Council had hoped to move the ice sculptures to Bank Street, where they would remain until Thursday, but mild November weather meant they had started to melt.

Meanwhile, in Ilkley, Harry Potter film star Matthew Lewis paid tribute to the late Sir Jimmy Savile when he stepped in to switch on the town’s Christmas lights.

Matthew, 22, led the crowd in three cheers for Sir Jimmy, who had been booked to officially switch on the illuminations on Saturday.

The former student of St Mary’s School in Menston, who played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, admitted he was hesitant about trying to fill Sir Jimmy’s boots.

“He did so much for so many people, I know he would have loved to be here,” Matthew told a large crowd of families and teenage fans gathered on The Grove.

Meanwhile, people flocked to Haworth for the village’s annual Christmas Market over the weekend, making the most of a long line of festive stalls that had been set up along Main Street.