Friday 9 January 2009

Roll-up, roll-up for Cromer 'Big Bang' 2009


10,000 North Norfolk locals and holiday-makers packed Cromer seafront shoulder-to-shoulder on New Year's Day for the town's 10th annual Torchlight Procession and Fireworks Spectacular.

The evening fundraising event - initially conceived as a 'one-off' to commemorate the millennium - proved such a big hit that the Town Council decided to make it a regular feature.

Each year over £5,000 is raised in bucket-rattling donations. The cash goes to local good causes - last year the Seaview Playgroup got £1000 towards a new heating system - plus a contribution goes towards the cost of staging the following year's display.

This year's show - masterminded by Clive Casburn (who had thoughtfully booked a clear night, so as to avoid soggy spectators!) - began with the North Norfolk Beach Runners Fun Run along the Prom, followed by a Torchlit Procession led from the churchyard by the liveried Town Crier.

The awesome 15-minute pyrotechnic display kicked off at 5pm, with 10 rockets fired from the pier in a single symbolic shot, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary.

Despite huge crowds, the atmosphere was at all times warm, friendly and festive: the seafront provides so many excellent vantage points from which to view the display - reflected dramatically in the waves along the shoreline - that there are plenty to go round.

There was also the credit-crunching bonus that car parking in the town was made free-of-charge from 2pm, thanks to the Council.

Click the Play button below for 'live' footage of the sights (and sounds!) of the event - as seen from our viewpoint up on Runton Road. Look out particularly for the amazing 'Olympic Hoops'!

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