The Brantham fireworks display will be going ahead this year, but with a difference.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions the organisers have decided to still hold the event which has been running for 20 years, but have asked people to watch from home or other vantage points.

In previous years up to 3,000 people have gone to the Brantham Leisure Centre to watch the organised bonfire and fireworks display but with the rule of six in face and other concerns over the rise of confirmed coronavirus cases, the committee have chosen bit to make it a public event in the usual way.

Instead, the fireworks will be let off at 7.30pm on Saturday, November 7 from land near the leisure centre as a'morale booster and thank you' to Brantham villagers, with the committee aiming to spend £4,000 on the display launched by Dynamic Fireworks.

Committee Chairman Darren Smith said: "The Brantham Fireworks committee have met to discuss the possibility of holding an event this year in light of the current global pandemic and government restrictions.

"It became clear to us with the rise in the infection rate and the rule of six that holding such an event was not practical or sensible, so for this year the event will not happen in its usual format.

"Obviously with no members of the public attending, we are looking for donations, sponsorship etc and further announcements will be made as to how you can do that.

"We now that various locations around the Village and the area that are prime vantage points, The Brantham Bull garden, the Cattawade Crown, Manningtree Walls, Palfrey Heights, Factory Lane to name but a few.

We are all massively disappointed that we can't hold our usual excellent event, but circumstances dictate and we hope you will all appreciate that this is a superb compromise."

Alastair McCraw, the Brantham parish council chairman and district councillor welcomed the decision and hoped enough could be raised to cover the costs even without a crowd.

He said: "The Brantham Fireworks display has been a wonderful feature of the village for years. (I remember raising seed money for it over 30 years ago.)

"Always widely popular, this would not be the time to mix together the way we would like, but we can still enjoy the spectacle from a suitable and safe distance. A clever and imaginative idea. And anybody else who thinks so is welcome to contribute some money to the usual charitable causes. I certainly will be.

"Hats off to the organising committee."