PLYMOUTH FIREWORK COMPETITION

11th -12th August 1998

Use this link to see many photos of the set up, rigging and firing of this major pyrotechnic event on a dedicated web page

My letters to the world: e-mails that were posted to pyros throughout the world to keep them in touch with the unfolding drama at Plymouth

Hi folks,
An unexploded wartime HE bomb, 250kg of TNT was today , Tuesday 11 August 1998, uncovered by builders working adjacent to the firing site of the first day of the Plymouth firework competition at the Mount Batten Breakwater, Plymouth, UK.
The show was cancelled and we were all marooned on the firing site for many hours until we could be escorted off by police in a motor convoy under the control of the army and naval bomb disposal squads, we had to pass close by the UXB to leave.
The whole area was a no go area with our exit and entry routes blocked by police cordon and a water police blockade afloat. The police helicopter kept watch from above.
All large vehicles and fireworks set up had to be left in situ under wraps at the firing site overnight. When permission was given by the MOD for our convoy to leave we had notice of one hour only to pack up and go.
Luckily weather was very good and food and soft drinks were on tap. Wartime spirit broke out among the competing teams as they all looked around each others rigs. The atmosphere was very good and we all did our best to make the best of a very sad situation. Disappointment was an understatement. Many of the would be spectators were as glum as the firers.
Tomorrow if the bomb is safely removed by sea overnight and the area certified safe from explosive trace, all 6 competitors will fire on the same evening with 6 shows at 10min each at + - £5,000 making this the biggest show in the UK this year at + - £30,000
Anticipation of this is great and we all pray for as fair an evening as we would have had tonight.
Your reporter at the front..literally,
Steve Johnson, Plymouth, UK

Hi all,
Today is Wednesday 12 August 1998 the day after the bomb. Local press carry huge banner headlines "huge wartime bomb stops show". TV and radio too are full of it. Early this morning. naval EOD teams towed the 250kg German bomb out to sea suspended in the water below a raft....it was then lowered to the sea bed and detonated....what a bang, I have it on video!!!!! Plymouthians huddle in groups, staring across the Hoe, as old folks recall the same evacuations and memories of the WW2 blitz air raids are stirred.
All 6 teams are due to fire tonight. weather is mixed today, the day broke well and sunny and blue sky, then it clouded up, then it rained, now it is sunny again.
Plymouth is electric right now as thousands, 100-200,000 more closer 200,000 anticipate tonight's mega show. Plymouth is "pyroville" today.
It did not rain overnight so all the wrapped pyro on the site will be fine and the other 3 teams are busy setting up on a rapidly extended firing area.
Walking thro` Plymouth to get my paper this morning proved interesting as I wore a rather fine firework T shirt,(thanks to The Firework Co.) passers by stopped me and said " hey....how goes that bomb?" or something like it.
This evening will be 1hour of pyro, with many 12 inch shells and huge amounts of flight rockets, candles and mega, mega cakes , plus various theatrical and effect pyros.
Watch this space for the next update. feel free to use this letter and the one sent earlier to pass on to others or post in news groups.
your reporter at the front line, Steve Johnson, Plymouth, UK

Dear All,
Northern Lights, (to me , a new company) have won victory at the Plymouth firework competition in 1998. Runners up were The Firework Co.
Northern Lights headed up by two pleasant young men, Paul Gerencser and Steve Allision have won the £5,000 first prize and a chance to represent the UK at San Sebastian in Spain.
Steve was "speechless" at the prize ceremony and it was good to see someone so happy! Runners up The Firework Co. headed by Chris Hutchison were sporting seconds and shook hands with the winners.
WHAT an event!!
UXB...an old wartime bomb......and fireworks beyond imagination.
Over 100,000 people gathered on the historic slopes of Plymouth Hoe in another lovely summer evening, plus more around the harbour sides.. This was to be the biggest display in UK and also I believe the biggest public gathering this year in UK.
Six teams made the foreshore and the breakwater at Mt. Batten an almost unbroken line of cakes, rockets, mortars and lance work, for hundreds of yards, was it really 3 tons gross!!
All displays were superb, a tribute to the skill of all the teams on site and the back up workers at HQ. all displays drew huge gasps from the crowd and spontaneous applause kept breaking out.
It must have been difficult for the judges to choose. All were winners to the audience who loved every second, every burst.
we had mega huge cakes, parachute rockets, balloons lifting fireworks aloft, huge flights of small flight rockets and so may shells to12in it was beyond counting.
I am much too tired to type any more but it will soon be on the web, with photos. it is now 1.15am BST and I am off to bed.sorry for typing and spelling.
We had 6,000 shells
8,000 rockets
Most companies exceeded the £5,000 fee by a factor of 3 times, making it a £15,000 show times 6 is a £90,000 show.....!!
100,000 + spectators
Biggest gathering in UK
Fine weather!!!!!!
An unbroken firing line of mortars, cakes ,candles, mines and rocket racks hundreds of meters long.

And we`d even had a World War II live UXB!...to boot, and to eventually when safe...to bang!!!!!!
regards, Steve Johnson, Plymouth, UK

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