THOUSANDS of people packed into Broad Street, Oxford, tonight to see the first night of Luminox, a spectacular fire display.

Oxford Inspires joined forces with French arts event company Carabosse, to host a series of fire installations in Broad Street, tonight, tomorrow and Saturday.

Oxford artist Ted Dewan built an 18-metre bamboo spire from which hangs a fiery pendulum.

He said: "There's a fantastic vibe on Broad Street, and this has been a very rewarding project to be involved in.

"It has been a bit like a military operation to get the spire built in time, but we have managed it."

Each full swing of the pendulum will count off each of the 1,000 years of Oxfordshire.

The show is one of the opening events for Oxfordshire's Millennium in 2007 festivities,and starts tomorrow and Saturday at 7pm.

See www.oxfordshire2007.com for a full programme of events.