'Don't prosecute bonfire group'

The Firle bonfire party has been criticised

The woman whose complaint started a police investigation into the burning of gypsy effigies in East Sussex has asked detectives not to prosecute the organisers.

Patricia Knight, from Firle, East Sussex, spoke out after Firle Bonfire Society torched a caravan containing images of gypsies.

The caravan was wheeled through a street in the town before being burnt on Saturday 25 October.

Three days later Patricia Knight, who was at the bonfire with her seven-year-old daughter, contacted a travellers' support group to complain about what she had seen.

Shocked and sickened

Mrs Knight, whose grandmother was a Romany, said she had been sickened by the show and that many others had been shocked by the event.

At the time Mrs Knight said: "A caravan was wheeled down the street which portrayed women and children inside, with 'pikey' written on the back and the image of a scantily-clad woman standing in the door.

"I could see other people looking shocked and I could hear shouts of 'racists' directed at the bonfire society and 'shame'."

Now Mrs Knight has said she wants everyone involved to move on.

Villagers chose the effigies after gypsies were evicted from the area

Mrs Knight said she would not be giving a statement to detectives as the matter has attracted too much attention.

In response Sussex Police said the matter was now in the hands of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Twelve people have been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred in connection with the event.

The Commission for Racial Equality has said those responsible should be prosecuted.