THE eagerly-anticipated return of Wickford’s fireworks display has been shelved due to rocketing prices, organisers have confirmed.

Rotary Club of Wickford had been putting together plans to stage the annual display in the town’s Memorial Park to celebrate Bonfire night next month.

But the soaring price of fireworks means the club have been forced to cancel the event, meaning Wickford is facing a third consecutive year without its main display.

A spokesman said: “We’ve been trying to get the fireworks display up and running since 2020, however due to Covid, we had to make sure that we put the public’s safety first.

“This was supposed to be the return of the display, but as a club we are really saddened to announce that the display will not be going ahead this year, and we cannot offer our supporters a great Wickford fireworks night.

“The costs for fireworks have dramatically increased in the last year, by up to 50 per cent.

“In order to break even we would need to attract a bigger crowd, since the prices of the fireworks have gone up so much, and we would not be able to accommodate the amount of people needed to attend.

“This event has traditionally been a smaller and intimate affair.”

Basildon councillor Don Morris, who represents Wickford Castledon, has spoken of his disappointment at the cancellation of this year’s display.

He said: “I think it’s very sad, I know it’s important to the people of Wickford, they’re a voluntary organisation and in the past they have done an excellent job.

“It seems like we will need to hold a round chair meeting, because there must be something we can do.”

The soaring costs of fireworks is said to be down to a similar rise in raw minerals becoming more expensive, with some manufacturers upping prices by around 20 per cent.

Distributors who import their products from China have also reported a 300 to 400 per cent rise in delivery costs.

Other costs which have risen in the firework industry include insurance, transport within the UK, office and IT.