Bristol-based firework company Skyburst staged a spectacular display on Clifton Suspension Bridge as the Olympic flame crossed. The company, with bases in Upper Langford and Bedminster, fired red, white and blue streamers from the bridge as torchbearers Rebecca Pantaney and Tom Baker ran across.
The show, which cost £7,500 to stage, was created using Skyburst’s own software. As well as the 240 streamers, there were 276 red, white and blue stage mines which are magnesium based and so bright enough to be seen in daylight. Four concussion cannons let off loud bangs as the Torch reached various points of the bridge and the display ended with an explosion of ‘Flutter-fetti’ which left a cloud of gold as it emerged from the tower at the Clifton end of the bridge.
Skyburst managing director Alan Christie said: “We wanted to give a show Bristol could be proud of as we heard of the great things other cities were doing.
“Each of the 520 individual products was made-to-order by a well-known UK manufacturer. The materials we used are the best in Europe and the equipment had to be specially made because of the intricacies of firing from the bridge. We did several site visits and a couple of Blue Peter-style trial runs to make sure everything worked.
“The idea of the display was so that people watching the bridge from afar could see how far along the Torch was even though the runner would not be visible. The explosions and streamers marked the way all along the route, creating a red, white and blue path across our famous landmark. I hope we’ve given Bristol an Olympic Torch relay to be proud of.”
Skyburst and its 17 employees working on the display liaised with the city council, police and the bridge master to ensure the relay went with a bang.
The firm has staged professional firework displays for more than 30 years including at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta for the past 16 years.
