The annual Highland Council Fireworks Display in Inverness has been hailed a huge success after it attracted record crowds of around 15,000 people.
The display took place in Bught Park and was described by the Fireworx Scotland Display team as a “Pyrotechnician’s Dream”.
The Falcon Drummers, from Merkinch, started the evening of entertainment with some live music. Crowds were then wowed by a display of fire twirling by Fly Agaric, which included a cyclist pedalling a bicycle with flaming tyres around his fellow performers.
Struan Maclean, 11, had been chosen to help Deputy Provost Alec Graham light the spectacular 60ft bonfire. The bonfire was built out of thousands of wooden pallets, which were donated by the local business community. The dry weather meant it roared to life straight away.
A spokesperson for the council said: “The heat produced by the monster could be felt by the spectators located behind the barriers one hundred yards away; and for a while the field fell silent as everyone stood and simply watched the inferno.”
Fifteen minutes later Struan led a countdown to the fireworks and the 20-minute display to music went down a storm.
The spokesperson added: “It was a night when the music and fireworks combined like never before, and there was a roar of approval when the show closed with a giant shell which had made the journey from a factory in China in order to explode a record 500 feet above the River Ness.”
The event, which has been growing in popularity every year, is part of the Inverness Winter Festivals programme.