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Newbury's Ablaze festival wows the crowds





The extravaganza, run by The Corn Exchange to mark their 20th anniversary as a live venue, saw the Kennet and Avon Canal transformed into a magical world of fire and music.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, there were queues all the way back to the swing bridge from the church as excited families waited to catch a glimpse of the show.
Every evening, as night fell, guests attending were treated to a display of flickering braziers on the canal, as well as fire artists, giant fire horns and spinning fire vortexes.
The event, which was funded by the Greenham Common Trust and Arts Council, saw live music in the grandstand in Victoria Park, with acoustic act Spiro and cellist Emily Burridge among those performing.
One awestruck couple, Graham and Louise North, who attended with their 6-year-old son Billy, said it was a fantastic event.
“It is absolutely beautiful,” Mrs North told the Newbury Weekly News.
“I think it is brilliant that they have put on this free event for everyone to enjoy. It doesn’t just feel like some small event they have put together, it really feels like a grand scale event.
“Billy has really enjoyed himself tonight and it is great to see the whole community out together. We’ve come from Reading just to be here tonight.”
Another excited visitor, Christina Prout, who was there with her 11-year-old son Joshua, echoed those thoughts.
"It looks amazing and there is such a lovely atmosphere here in Newbury tonight," she said.
"It's nice to be ale to come out and see the town centre at night and I hope they do it again next year, we would definitely come again."



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