COUNTY  firework displays are set to go off with a bang despite the national shortages of fireworks that has caused cancellations elsewhere. 

Brexit red tape and Covid travel disruption threatened to ruin some plans for this November 5, with reports of stocks being down by up to 70 per cent.

David Martin, of Pershore Fireworks, said: “Nearly all of the world’s supply of fireworks are produced in China’s Hunan Province and shipped out of a single port. 

"Due to an international shortage of shipping containers, most of this year’s stock is trapped in dockside warehouses. 

"It’s been hard work finding a supply for everyone in the industry and prices have, to coin a phrase, rocketed.”

Some July 4 celebrations were called off in America due to the shortages, and an event planned in Wem, in Shropshire, has been among the first to go due to the "cost and availability of fireworks".

We previously reported that Worcester Round Table's Pitchcroft fireworks display has been cancelled. After asking if it was due to the fireworks shortage Ian Evans, of Worcester Round Table, said: "This year’s cancellation is a consequence of the pandemic and not any known shortage.

"Clearly there’s a great deal of goodwill to what has been a regular calendar event in Worcester for many years and so we hope that with an improving picture, fireworks can return to Pitchcroft at some point. "

A spokesman from Sixways Stadium said the Back with a Bang event, scheduled to go ahead on Saturday, November 6, has had no issues with getting hold of fireworks.

"Jubilee Fireworks, the company used for the display, have already purchased the fireworks and there will be no problems," the spokesman said.

Organisers of the Norton Parish Hall event, on October 23, said its event was not expected to be called off. 

"We have used the same company for a few years, and they have told us there will be no issues," their spokesman said.

Crowle Bonfire, which is being held at Boden's Field on November 6, is also set to go ahead.

Organisers told us: "We are all good - we ordered ours early and have doubled checked to make sure we got them in."

Churchfields, in Droitwich, said its first ever family fireworks display would be going ahead on November 5 after suppliers had confirmed they had got the fireworks needed.

In additional to Brexit red tape the Mirror has also reported stocks are down due to confusion over what new safety rules are in place.

The paper reports wholesalers have refused to stock up on pyrotechnic due to the switch over from the Europe-wide CE safety label to a UKCA mark, now needed to sell fireworks in the UK.

Steve Raper, the chairman of the British Fireworks Association, told the Guardian there has been confusion over the new labelling system but said any fireworks imported with the CE label before the end of next year could be sold in the UK indefinitely.