New Firework champions announced

Six displays over two nights lit up the skies above Plymouth Sound

A Northamptonshire firm has won this year's British Fireworks Championships which were held in Devon.

About 200,000 people watched six spectacular displays from vantage points around Plymouth Sound. The event was staged over two evenings.

MLE Pyrotechnics from Daventry in Northamptonshire was announced as overall winner.

Judges said it was a tight contest, with the top three teams separated by only a few marks.

We are elated and very, very tired Matt Lawrence, MLE Pyrotechnics

Each team fired off a 10-minute display, lighting up the clear night skies, and they were all greeted with cheers, gasps and claps from the spectators.

Matt Lawrence from MLE Pyrotechnics said: "The team worked incredibly hard to achieve the high standards that won us this title. We are elated and very, very tired."

Le Maitre Pyrotechnics and Special Effect came second, with Skyline Promotions taking third place.

More than 10 tonnes of explosives were used in the displays and organisers said plans had already started to ensure a particularly special event to celebrate next year's 10th championship.