Express & Star

Families urged to buy Sandwell fireworks tickets early

Families heading to fireworks displays in Sandwell next month have been urged to buy tickets in advance as council bosses warned there would be limited tickets available on the night in a bid to avoid the chaos that marred events last year.

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Fireworks

Event organisers are under pressure to ensure Bonfire Night displays run smoothly after hundreds of people were left queuing at the gates last year, leading to a raft of complaints.

And they are keen to stop as many people as possible from buying tickets on the gate.

Tickets for the show at Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich on Saturday, November 4 will be £1 cheaper if bought online, while visitors could save £5 on a family ticket of two adults and three children.

People are urged to buy beforehand rather than turning up on the night in the hope of getting in.

Sandwell Council said on its website: "A limited number of tickets will be available on the night but we recommend booking online to avoid disappointment."

Another smaller event will be held at Victoria Park in Smethwick, featuring only fireworks.

Leisure boss Councillor Richard Marshall has said he is confident the discounts can be advertised widely enough to have an impact.

The council was criticised over its handling of fireworks displays last year in an independent report.

It was the latest challenge for organisers after a stray crowd flwe into the crowd at Wednesbury’s Brunswick Park in 2014, hurting three people. An event at Tipton was subsequently axed to allow bosses to focuses on its main shows.

After the chaos of last year, a report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) highlighted a lack of wardens, poor communication and ‘aggressive’ security staff as issues.

The independent report said safety at big fireworks displays in the borough needed to be ‘thoroughly reviewed’.