Oxford fireworks event causes 'extensive damage' to park

The ground in South Park was left muddy after the 55th edition of the charity fireworks event

A park is facing repairs following a Bonfire Night event which caused "extensive surface damage", a council said.

The ground at South Park in Oxford was damaged by heavy machinery at the Round Table fireworks event on 4 November.

The city council said there had been no long-term impact, but the area may need to be cordoned off to allow the grass to grow back.

It was looking at ways to prevent damage at future events.

About 40 complaints were lodged with the council about the state of the ground after the event, with some describing it as "rutted and churned".

The local authority said the ground was "saturated" after "prolonged heavy rainfall".

Inspectors concluded the ground would need levelling and areas of the park would need to be re-seeded.

Work was expected to take place in the early spring, allowing for the new seed to germinate.

In the meantime, signage would encourage users to take different paths through the park to avoid the muddy, uneven areas.

Neil Holdstock, chairman of Oxford Round Table, previously said he had been left "heartbroken" by the comments from "a small number of residents".

He added the event was run by volunteers and that the majority of feedback about the event had been positive.

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