Winners of 2021 British Firework Championships in Plymouth announced

This year, the firework displays were dedicated to the victims of the tragic events in Keyham last week

British Firework Championships in Plymouth
Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 20th Aug 2021
Last updated 20th Aug 2021

The winners of this year's British Firework Championships in Plymouth have officially been announced.

Aurora Fireworks have been crowned the best in their field, winning the 2021 event which took place on Wednesday (18 August) and Thursday (19 August).

Six firework companies competed over two nights, watched by thousands of people along Plymouth’s waterfront.

Second place went to Fully Fused Fireworks, while Phoenix Fireworks came in third.

This year, the firework displays were dedicated to the victims of the tragic events in Keyham last week.

A special tribute took place on each evening of the Championships, which included a one minute silence where attendees beamed their phone torches into the sky, filling the waterfront with light.

This was followed by a display of five heart-shaped fireworks to signify each life lost and a minute-long round of applause in memory of the victims: Maxine Davison, Sophie Martyn, Lee Martyn, Stephen Washington and Kate Shepherd. Five green hearts were also projected onto Smeaton’s Tower during the event.

The British Firework Championships is hosted by Plymouth City Council in partnership with The Event Services Association (TESA) and this was the 24th event.

The competition has been held annually since 1997, apart from last year when it was affected by the pandemic.

Council Leader Nick Kelly said: “It was a difficult decision as to whether or not the event went ahead, but we spoke to many members of the community and ultimately decided to bring Plymouth together and dedicate this year’s Championships to the memory of the victims.

"Maxine, Sophie, Lee, Stephen and Kate were in all our thoughts and hearts as we watched the displays. The tribute was incredibly poignant and emotional, particularly the sight of thousands of people using the lights on their phones to illuminate the skies.

"This truly was #PlymouthTogether and long may this solidarity continue across our great city."

Cllr Nick Kelly - Leader of Plymouth City Council

Aurora Fireworks, winners of British Firework Championships 2021, with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth

The six professional firework companies that competed this year, listed in display order, were:

Wednesday 18 August

  • Skyburst The Firework Co
  • Phoenix Fireworks
  • The Fireworkers

Thursday 19 August

  • Fully Fused Fireworks
  • Aurora Fireworks
  • AJ Pyrotechnics

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.