The event in Oswestry Falls Park Saturday was the subject of an avalanche of criticism with one attendee saying organizers “should be ashamed of themselves” after the 7pm start time came and went.

It is understood that the delays are due to many people attending the free event which aimed to raise money for local charities with volunteers from Rotary Club of the Border very involved.

Helen Bucknall wrote on the official site. Oswestry Town Council Facebook page: “We got there at 5:45 with only a few people gathered and a band playing at the bandstand.

“There were only three food shops. The brownie stand sold out at 6:30 and the line for the other two was over 100 metres.

“The band kept playing and at 7pm we got a random update saying the fireworks wouldn’t happen unless everyone in the park moved, even though barriers had been put up.

“This crowd had gathered long before the 7pm start, so why did it take officials so long to realize that people were searching the ‘unsafe zone’?

“We watched as the crowd did not move and the high visibility staff moved the crowd carelessly and extremely inefficiently.

“At 7:40 we had no updated information and officials continued walking from the fireworks area to the barriers and no one thought to inform the crowd.

“We had had enough of two small children waiting for two hours only to get tired and upset by the ridiculous wait… we had traveled 45 minutes for this and in the end we didn’t see any fireworks.

“There should have been a blockade of the entire section where it was not safe to stand; this failure is due to poor management and is not the fault of the crowd. As the old saying goes, ‘you get what you pay for’ and in this case …absolutely nothing.”

Another reviewer said: “We left tonight at 7.45 after being there since 6pm. The four-year-old granddaughter was more than fed up! There is also no laser light show as advertised.”

Another wrote: “With a two and three year old in tow it was ridiculous, letting everyone in and then keep changing where they want you to stand.

“We gave up just before 8 after standing around for an hour trying to keep the little ones entertained.

“We were behind raised fences, no one on the grass or told us otherwise for half an hour, ridiculous.”

a spokesperson for

“Thank you for your support and patience in attending tonight’s fireworks show.

“We apologize for the delay in shooting, which was due to security reasons. We are aware that there were a number of issues and we will conduct a review to address them.

“Thank you again.”

‘Unfair things’

Oswestry councilor Mike Isherwood said he had seen a lot of “unfair things” said.

In a social media post, Councilor Isherwood said: “I do not speak for the Council and it would not be appropriate to comment on certain aspects of an event that I was not personally involved in organizing, but I have seen many things that are unfair. is being said tonight and I would like to respond.

“Firstly, some people have compared the fireworks displays at Cae Glas Park to the previous incarnation of the event which used to take place in Brogyntyn and was organized by the Treble-Niners for many years.

“Some people seem to think that Oswestry Council has done everything it can to ruin this much-loved annual event, but this is, of course, not true.

“The Treble-Niners decided to stop hosting the event a few years ago and OTC stepped in to help it continue. The Rotary Club had always provided the majority of volunteers and still does. Therefore, there is no option to return to the Treble-Niners. They ‘retired’.

“It is also not possible to return it to Brogyntyn.

“OTC decided to try holding an alternative event at the park last year, as many people were understandably disappointed that we had lost our free public display. That’s why there are no bonfires anymore: it would destroy the grass in the park.

“This year many more people attended and this, in my opinion, was probably a contributing factor to tonight’s difficulties.

“With a free, public event it is impossible to know how many people will attend.”

He added: “Safety is obviously the first priority and main concern of the officers and staff who organized the event and I know how dedicated and hard-working they are.

“Each of them take their jobs incredibly seriously and go above and beyond their job descriptions to make these events happen because we, the councillors, on behalf of the residents, ask them to.

“Yes, there was a big delay in lighting the fireworks tonight. It is necessary to understand the reasons and learn.

“But those types of comments are unfair to people who not only don’t deserve it but should be applauded for what they do for our city.

“I understand people’s frustration, but words have a real impact on people.”