Procession crowds to be limited

Limited numbers will be allowed to attend this year's celebrations

Crowds heading for bonfire celebrations in Lewes will be unable to reach the procession route through the town centre once the streets are full.

Lewes District Council said visitors to the East Sussex town on 5 November will be diverted to bonfire sites to protect the town centre from overcrowding.

New arrangements have been put in place this year to limit crowd numbers to a "safe and comfortable" level.

More than 50,000 people crowded into the town last year for the evening.

The previous year, Sussex Police put the number of visitors at 60,000 in what the force described as the largest annual policing operation in Sussex.

In 2008, five people needed hospital treatment for minor injuries and 10 arrests were made for public order offences, two of them for non-bonfire related matters.

Road closures

Southern has already said it will not be running extra trains to Lewes this year.

Last year it provided an extra 10 trains from Brighton for what is believed to be the biggest bonfire event in the UK.

The new arrangements have been agreed by the Lewes Bonfire Safety Group, which includes representatives from each of the town's bonfire societies.

The emergency services, local authorities and Southern are also members.

The council said it was committed to preserving the historic bonfire tradition in Lewes whilst ensuring public safety.

It has also announced a series of road closures planned for the evening and said the procession route and emergency access routes will be cleared of cars by 1600 GMT.

Parking will be limited and visitors have been advised not to try to take their cars into the town.