#bonfire-night

#bonfire-night

Getty Images This year's Bonfire Night celebrations prompted the highest number of calls to London Fire Brigade (LFB) since 2016, control room staff have said. The total - 831 - was a 20% increase on the previous year, LFB said, adding it had received 30% more bonfire-related calls. The number of fireworks calls were largely unchanged. Incidents fire crews attended last night included a grass fire in Bromley, a tree alight in Brixton Hill and a box on fire in a Hackney park. The brigade added it was expecting another busy weekend so it had asked Londoners to be sensible and take care with fires and fireworks.

Igniting fireworks from the same spot repeatedly can seriously singe your lawn, which might end up needing replacing after just one night of fun. Although lawn itself might be relatively inexpensive, when you factor in the turf, labour and installation costs, this could end up costing you 15 per square metre. So for a UK average garden size of 50 square metres, you can expect to be set back by 750 in total.

What's Bonfire Night without some toasty, gooey marshmallows? And it's only right to have them in a s'more, the American classic that's also now part of the festivities over on this side of the pond. Digestive biscuits are typically the go-to, but I like to add extra flavour, depth and texture by using ginger oaty biscuits instead. These are quick to put together and don't require any chilling.

When Guy Fawkes was preparing to blow up the Houses of Parliament all those centuries ago, he probably didn't foresee that 420 years later, thousands of Londoners would gather on a hill, serenaded by a Dolly Parton tribute act, watching hundreds of drones make cool neon shapes in the air to celebrate the failure of his plot. That's exactly what'll be happening in a few months time, though.