Highland Council holds 'watch at home' fireworks show
- Published
What has been dubbed Scotland's only local authority-run fireworks display this year has been held in Inverness.
The fireworks were to be set off from the city's Northern Meeting Park in a £6,000 10-minute display.
Highland Council asked people not to gather near the park and to instead watch from their own homes.
But critics have said other authorities had cancelled for good reason because of concerns around Covid-19, and that it was a waste of money.
The display began from 18:30.
This year's Bonfire Night comes after the introduction of new fireworks regulations, external in June.
On 5 November fireworks can be used from 18:00 until midnight.
Last month, Inverness' provost Helen Carmichael said Highland Council was delighted to be able to stage what it believed would be the only display of its kind in Scotland.
She said: "Everyone has had their own challenges over the last year, so we were really keen to do what we could to give people some normality and something to look forward to, but at the same time discouraging large groups of people to make their way to the city."
The fireworks are to be set off from 18:30 from Inverness' Northern Meeting Park
Inverness councillor Ron MacWilliam said while it would be "miserable to cancel yet another public event" holding a fireworks display did not make sense at this time.
He said: "It's going to be of no benefit to view in the distance the sky over the Northern Meeting Park lighting up.
"I don't understand why that would be a worthwhile public expenditure now."
High Life Highland organised the event for Highland Council.
Ahead of the city's fireworks display, National Trust for Scotland urged against irresponsible setting off of fireworks at Culloden Battlefield on the outskirts of Inverness.
It said despite asking people not to, there had been fireworks lit at the historic site. The trust said a Highland pony and horses in a field on the battlefield had been frightened.