Published: July 27, 2012
Burnham-On-Sea couple to take part in Olympic squibbing ceremony

A Burnham-On-Sea couple will be taking part in an historic ceremony to mark the opening of the London 2012 Olympics this weekend.

Burnham Carnival Chairman Phil New and his wife Jayne, pictured, will be travelling to Weymouth on Saturday where Bridgwater Carnival's squibbing ceremony will take place to mark the start of the Olympics - the first time in in its 300 year-old history that the event will be held outside Bridgwater.

Over 220 performers from Somerset carnival clubs will take part in the display, which involves a row of people holding large sparkling fireworks, during Saturday's 'Battle of the Winds' ceremony on Weymouth Beach at around 10.45pm.

Phil told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We feel really honoured to be invited along - it will be exciting to be taking part."

Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival's Squibbing Officer, Clive Kett, added: "We're going to be doing it outside of Bridgwater for the first time ever in the recorded history of squibbing, and Bridgwater has been squibbing as an event since about 1700."

"We're actually going to be using the 2005 anniversary squib which has a gold sheaf of wheat pattern at the start [of the firework sparks] and then a big silver titanium burst at the end, which I designed about seven years ago."

Seven coaches will ferry the squibbers from carnival groups including Marketeers, British Flag, Vagabonds, Cavaliers, Crusaders, Centurion, Newmarket, Pentathlon, Renegades, Gremlins, Wills, Griffins, Lyme Kilne, YMCA, Marina Sydenham, Ramblers and Wilfs.

Pictured: Top, Phil and Jayne New, who will be taking part in the Olympic squibbing