THE future of a popular community bonfire could be in jeopardy unless money can be found from local sponsors.

The annual Bonfire Night event in Northallerton has been a favourite with local people for decades.

Every year, thousands of people from the town and surrounding villages flock to the Applegarth for the colourful show, which is free.

This year's November 5 display will mark the 40th anniversary of the event.

To mark the anniversary, local firefighters, who organise the show and run it, are promising it will be their biggest and most spectacular yet - and have doubled their usual £5,000 budget.

But to safeguard the bonfire's future and ensure it remains an annual event, the brigade is turning to local businesses and individuals for support.

Fire station manager Carl Boasman said: "The original aim of the display was to make sure people enjoyed an injury-free Bonfire Night celebration.

"It's fair to say that over the years, the event has minimised the number of firework injuries, with a significant fall, year on year.

"It is now regarded as the biggest community safety event in the county and has also become such a tradition that people who were taken along by their parents when youngsters are now taking their own children along."

The town council gives £1,000 towards the event and the rest is raised by the firefighters, who also give up their own time to set up the show and run it.

However financial belt-tightening has now led to the brigade's community safety fund having to concentrate on core activities, such as home safety checks and smoke alarm fitting.

As a result, to make sure this year's show goes with a big bang, and that preparations can start for the next one, the organisers need to raise about £5,000.

They are appealing for finacial support. To help with funding or in any other way, contact Northallerton fire station, on 01609-751010, Mark Pinder, on 07754-444734 or Mr Boasman, on 07710-378493