Help needed to build Littlehampton’s towering inferno

The town’s bonfire society is appealing for volunteers to help construct the towering inferno on The Green, to be lit on Saturday, October 26, at the end of the spectacular torchlit procession and as the grand firework display gets underway.

Bonfire society secretary, Richard Cooper, said: “We urgently need to hear from any groups or individuals who would be willing to spare some time in the week preceding the event to help build the bonfire.

“The bonfire has been on the same site on The Green since the celebrations of the Victorian Littlehampton Bonfire Society in the 19th century. It is one of Littlehampton’s traditions that it has a mammoth bonfire each year – nowadays thought to be the biggest in the county, with some Sussex bonfire and carnival societies not having a fire at all.

“If we are to maintain this tradition we need people to come forward to help build it.”

Building of the bonfire starts at 9am on Monday, October 21 and continues to 5.30pm each day until Thursday, October 24. Anyone willing to assist is asked to email the society at littlehamptonbonfiresociety

@hotmail.co.uk or contact Tyndall Jones at David O. Jones Sports or Richard Cooper on 01903 725149.

The society is urging people not to dump anything on the bonfire site, at the East Green car park, before Monday, October 21, as they could face prosecution.

Only non-toxic, combustible items such as wood and garden waste, are acceptable. Polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, aerosols, batteries, bottles, tins of paint, tyres or containers of any liquids should not be brought to the site and beds, settees, armchairs and carpets will also be rejected.