FIRESCOTLAND are urging people to attend official bonfire events this weekend to ensure that everyone remains safe.

This weekend families will head to Helensburgh pier to watch the sky light up at this year’s community bonfire and fireworks display.

With stalls selling hot food and drink, music and a bonfire before the main event the pier is sure to be busy with people out enjoying the fun.

Assistant Chief Officer David McGown at Fire Scotland explained that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service can be up to four times busier than usual on bonfire night.

He said: “There are many official bonfire events this year in Scotland and attending one of these can help ensure our resources aren’t delayed.

“Illegal bonfires needlessly take up our crews time and put others with genuine emergencies at risk.

“I would urge any member of the public who sees someone starting an illegal bonfire to contact Crimestoppers.

“Together we can help each other stay safe this bonfire night”.

This year’s celebrations in Helensburgh, organized by the Round Table are set to begin at 6.30pm with the stalls opening for business. The bonfire will be lit at 6.45pm and people will have time to enjoy it before the fireworks take to the sky for the main event at 7.30pm.

The firework display is programmed and choreographed by professional fireworks company midnight storm and promises a wall of colour in the French style. The display will run for approximately 20 minutes.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue service have offered some tips for staying safe while enjoying the celebrations this weekend.

They recommend storing sparklers and other fireworks in a closed box in a cool, dry place, lighting sparklers one at a time and always wearing gloves, plunge finished sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out. Sparklers can stay hot for a very long time.

They don’t recommend taking sparklers to public displays as it is too crowded to use them safely and express not to give sparklers to under-fives.

When attending events, they recommend supervising children closely and to avoid dressing them in loose or flowing clothes that could catch alight easily.