IT is thought about 10,000 people will gather at the riverside for the spectacular festival fireworks finale display.

The breathtaking display – always a fitting end to the city’s hugely popular and firmly established summer festival – is painstakingly planned by festival organisers. For 20 minutes, thousands of people stare at the sky with awe and wonder and for Worcester Live there is a real sense of achievement.

“I think we’ve set the bar quite high,” said Caroline Lucas, one of the main festival organisers.

“I’m not sure we try and better it year on year but we certainly try to maintain that standard. We’re aware that everyone has a great time and we’ve got to make sure that happens again.”

The fireworks display will take place at South Quay at 10pm on Monday. The company behind the light and sound show is Kimbolton Fireworks, bas-ed near Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire. The firm is also behind the world famous St Patrick's Day Skyfest in Dublin.

“We start planning as soon as the festival finishes,” said Miss Lucas.

“We always use the same company, so it is easy in that respect but we do try and do something different each time.

“We had a light display going down the river on narrowboats and this year we have glo-lanterns.”

The increasingly popular paper lanterns, sometimes known as sky lights, are blamed for dozens of supposed UFO sightings.

“I’ll be disappointed if we don’t get a few UFO reports,” joked Miss Lucas.

People are expected to start gathering at South Quay from about 9pm. There will be a pig roast and live music provided by the Sauce City Jazzmen.

Miss Lucas said: “It is important to have that extra entertainment. It really creates an atmosphere and people get there early to nab decent vantage points.

“I’ve done quite a lot of the organising this year and I am absolutely delighted with how it’s gone.

“Considering the weather has been shocking, which was a shame, residents have really got behind us again.”