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World Fireworks Championships 2008 winners announced

China wins Blackpool Fireworks Event - 26th September 2008

Top firework companies from around the globe where invited to stage pyrotechnical displays, bringing an International flavour to Central Promenade during the opening weeks of Blackpool's World Famous Illuminations season, at the World Fireworks Championships 2008.

The countries who took part this year were:

Sunday 31st August - Germany - 'Zink Feuerwerk'
Friday 5th September - Scotland - 'Blast Design'
Friday 12th September - Canada - 'Firemaster Productions'
Friday 19th September - China - 'Forward Fireworks'.

And on 26th September the winner was announced. Forward Fireworks, representing China, wowed the judges with their 'practically flawless performance' and where crowned the winning team for 2008.

Speaking from the Forward Fireworks factory, based in Liuyang City in the Hunan Province of China, Harry Liu was delighted to hear that his designs had blasted his homeland to victory. He said:

"Thank you for the great news, we are delighted to have won this year's competition and we are very proud of this achievement.

"It is very gratifying to know that so many people in Blackpool enjoyed our display.

"We loved Blackpool and will come back again."

Blackpool's Promenade has welcomed more than a quarter of a million spectators to the four heats of the event, and the final display will draw even more visitors to the Promenade as Blackpool's first 'Cultural Olympiad' event, in celebration of London hosting the next Olympic Games in 2012, sets the skies above the Illuminations alight in a blaze of sound and colour.

Cllr Mrs Maxine Callow, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Tourism said:

"The World Fireworks Championships Blackpool have been a fantastic success again this year with thousands of visitors and residents coming to the Town Centre every Friday to enjoy this great family event.

"Congratulations go to not only the winning team from China, but to all the international competitors, who have all produced stunning displays."