THIS YEAR’S bonfire and fireworks display WILL go ahead in Shaldon.

The parish council has confirmed the hugely popular community display on the beach will be a free family event.

The announcement comes after Teignmouth Town Council withdrew its financial support.

Now the parish council has revealed this year’s event will take place on Saturday October 31 and have a Halloween themed bonfire on Shaldon beach and fireworks will continue to be fired from the Point in Teignmouth, as in previous years.

A parish council spokesman said; ‘As always this event will be free for all who wish to attend.

‘We have to choose the closest Saturday to Bonfire Night when the tides enable us to build our brilliant Bonfire on Shaldon beach for an early evening lighting, and that is October 31.

‘Due to the withdrawal of Teignmouth Town Council’s financial support for this event, the parish council will need to dig deep into the financial reserves we have built up since the present Shaldon team took over organising the Shaldon bonfire in 2017.

‘We will need to review the feasibility of the event after this year as long term this is clearly not sustainable.

‘However we have been simply overwhelmed by the support we have received in the last couple of months from residents of Teignmouth, in particular those wonderful people involved in the Teignmouth Airshow Committee who have offered us practical help with raising funds for the event from businesses in Teignmouth and who will be the backbone of our Teignmouth bucket collectors at the event.

‘Thank you so much to all the lovely people of Teignmouth - your enthusiasm for one of the most popular free annual events in the Teign estuary has encouraged us to continue.’

More details will be announced nearer the event.

Previously the display was a joint venture between both councils but Teignmouth town councillors opted to withdraw funding after consideration over the lack of benefit to Teignmouth traders, the logistics for its staff and it had no control over arrangements.