Eastbourne Bonfire Society celebrations on seafront this weekend

The parade begins at the Crown and Anchor Pub on the corner of the seafront close to Seaside Road at 7.15pm and will move eastwards towards the Wish Tower Slope. That will be followed by traditional effigy and bonfire lighting on the beach in front of the RNLI Museum at 9.30pm with the grand finale firework display scheduled at 9.45pm.

Bonfire societies from across Sussex are expected to take part in the annual parade with revellers due to line the seafront road.

This year bucket collectors taking part in the parade will be raising money for two local charities, You Raise Me Up and Rainbow Bridge Equine Rescue.

YRMU is a Willingdon based charity founded by Fraser and Jane Brooks in June 2011 following the sudden loss of their 17-year-old daughter Megan to raise money to support families suffering the loss of an adult child between the age of 16 and 25.

Rainbow Bridge Equine Rescue is a small rescue charity based in Wilmington, which takes in horses and ponies from many different situations – some unwanted, neglected saved from slaughter, from markets and those suffering from illness or often long term injuries.

The lower promenade from the Bandstand to the Wish Tower car park will be closed from 1pm.

Roads around the Crown and Anchor will be closed between 2.30-11.30pm with the main seafront road closed from 6pm from the junction with Beach Road to the junction with Wilmington Square.

Eastbourne Bonfire Society’s Danni Wilson said, “Cancel all your plans for Saturday night and head down to Eastbourne seafront and have a fantastic night with us. Dig our those warm clothes, get some loose change ready for our bucket collectors and prepare to have the best of times.”