THE bonfire Dorchester Town Council tried to ban at Elizabeth Place was a great success – according to residents in the area.

They continued with their plans for the traditional fire, which has taken place over many years, despite the council saying it was unauthorised and, therefore, not covered by public liability insurance.

Notices on the site together with residents keeping an eye on what was being brought to the site ensure there was not a repeat of previous years when items, including old fridges, had been dumped among the wood.

Dorchester Town Council confirmed today (Friday 6 November), the day after the fire, that residents had said they would take care of the clear-up once the heat from the ashes had died down.

Magna Housing which had been asked if it would take on responsibility for the fire and provide insurance cover had still not responded to the query about whether it would do this.

One resident in a local social media post said: "It was really well organised last night. I had a chat with one of the gents that helped to build the fire and do the organisation, including walking around in high viz, having a chat with locals.

"They will be monitoring the fire and ash over the next couple of days and will be clearing it up when it is safe to do so."