Fireworks championships called off due to dry ground

A stately home has postponed a fireworks championships held in its grounds due to "extremely dry conditions" in the surrounding countryside.

Newby Hall, near Ripon in North Yorkshire, was set to host the event on 22 August but said after discussions with organiser Firework Champions, the display would be moved to 2027.

Calling the decision "difficult", a statement from the the historic house said: "Due to the extremely dry conditions in the surrounding countryside, this has created an increased risk around a large-scale fireworks event."

According to the Firework Champions website, the championships sees firework companies compete against each other, with the audience voting for the winner.

Tickets for this year's event will automatically be transferred to the new date, Newby Hall confirmed.

The decision follows a extended period of hot, dry weather across Yorkshire and the rest of the UK.

However, this week the British Fireworks Championship in Plymouth went ahead as planned as the pyrotechnic displays were set off from an area surrounded by water.

On Friday evening, an emergency alert was sent to mobile phones warning of a "very high risk of wildfires nationally" across England and Wales.

This followed the government's temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues over fears they pose a "significant risk to the public" during the heatwave.

The public have also been warned against lighting campfires or setting off fireworks on open ground.

In July, a moorland fire at Dove Stone Reservoir in Greater Manchester was linked to a group of young people setting off fireworks at a memorial event.

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