Police made just ten arrests as up to 50,000 people poured into Lewes for the annual bonfire extravaganza.

Officers arrested the people for public order offences, including assaults and drunken behaviour. Five people needed hospital treatment for minor injuries Before the event the Lewes Bonfire Council, which acts on behalf of the town’s six bonfire societies, asked non-town residents not to attend.

But those warnings were ignored as 20,000 people packed trains into the town and thousands more arrived by road to watch the giant effigies go up in smoke.

Roger Meyer, secretary of the council, said: “It was an excellent evening and there were no significant injuries at all, which is the main thing.

“It was a good crowd and it thinned out at about 8pm when the rain came, which meant it was easier to get the processions through on time.”

The celebrations are believed to be the largest of their kind in the country, with a police presence of 400.

Superintendent Grenville Wilson, operation commander, said: “Aside from a small minority who behaved irresponsibly, the vast majority of people were simply in Lewes to enjoy the spectacle and acted sensibly.”

One bonfire society faced a race against time to complete their parade after more than 2,000 fire torches were stolen from a farm. Half of the Borough Bonfire Society’s 4,000 torches were taken from a farm in Uckfield Road, Lewes.

The theft was only discovered when torches were dipped in paraffin on Tuesday.

Chairman John Winter said: “We nearly finished much quicker than usual and we did a count and half of them had been pinched.

“We were all upset because it was hard work to get enough for the celebrations but we pulled together and saved the day.”

Borough members quickly made another 1,000 torches and Fletching Bonfire Society donated 500.

Meanwhile rainwater got into the Southover Bonfire Society’s firing mechanism, meaning just a third of their fireworks went up as planned.

However, the town was awakened to the sound of fireworks at 8am yesterday because the society’s members re-fused the box in the morning light to bring an end to the celebrations.

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Watch a video report of the Lewes bonfire evening at www.theargus.co.uk/videos