OXFORDSHIRE is set to go off with a bang as people prepare to celebrate the noisiest night of the year.

Firework displays will be held across the county this weekend for Bonfire Night, the celebration of the unveiling of the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

The largest display, organised by Oxford Round Table, is at South Park on Saturday.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 people are expected to attend the event, which raises in the region of £75,000 for local charities each year and is now in its 44th year.

As well as a £12,000 half-hour display of bangers, firecrackers, Chinese candles and rockets, the crowd will again be treated to the ceremonial burning of a 50ft wicker man.

Organiser Jason Priest said: “It’s a massive buzz and the atmosphere is just electric.

“My favourite part is seeing everybody’s faces as they leave the park at the end, saying thank you very much and throwing money into the buckets, even though they’ve already paid to get in, because they’ve had such a good time.”

Tickets cost £5 in advance from various outlets, listed at oxfordfireworks.co.uk, and Mr Priest urged as many people as possible to buy before the event to cut down on queues. There will also be live entertainment from 80s one-hit wonder Owen Paul, and Charlie Simpson of Busted fame.

A 42ft tall wicker man will be making an appearance for the fourth year running, this year taking the form of a medusa-like head designed by Thomas Lydford-Brace, eight, a pupil at Chandlings School, Bagley Wood.

And as it burns, it will reveal a fearsome steel sculpture, designed by Stanley Burke, 10, from Longcot.

Dan Barton, who has spent tens of thousands of pounds on the wicker man project, said: “It is a transforming wicker man which I think is unique.

“It’s always possible it won’t work because there is a lot of heat involved, there’s steel, so it could buckle.

“I’m thrilled with both the designs, I was always keen we might get a Medusa and the internal sculpture really made the absolute best use of the space available.”

Gates open at 5pm with the display due to start at 6.45pm.

See wickermanoxford.co.uk to learn more about the wicker man.

OTHER displays around the county include:

Friday

Long Hanborough: The Playing Fields, Roosevelt Road, gates open 6pm, display 7pm; Oxford: Montessori School, Forest Farm, from 5.30pm; Kidlington: Stratfield Brake Recreation Ground, gates 6pm, display 7pm; Grove: Recreation Ground, Cane Lane, gates 7pm; Fernham: gates 6pm, display 7pm;Southmoor: John Blandy School, gates 5pm; Witney: Cokethorpe School, gates 7.30pm, fireworks 8.15pm

Saturday

Faringdon: Faringdon House, Lechlade Road: gates 6pm, display 7pm; Great Milton: Recreation ground, gates 7pm, fireworks 8pm; Wolvercote: The Green, from 6pm; Didcot: Lloyd Recreation Ground, Brasenose Road, gates 5.30pm, fireworks 7pm; Kingham: playing field gates 6pm, fireworks 7pm; Marston: St Michael’s Primary School, Marston Road: gates 5.30pm, fireworks 6.30pm; Fringford: Village Hall, gates 5.30pm; Culham Park: gates 4pm, display 7pm; Wheatley: Primary School, Littleworth Road, gates 5.15pm, display 7pm; Tackley: Fox Hill, from 5.45pm; Shipton-under-Wychwood: Cricket Club, starts 6pm; Garsington: Three Horseshoes, gates 6pm; Charlbury: Cricket Club, gates 6.30pm; Standlake: Village Hall, starts 6pm

Sunday

Witney: Rugby Club, Hailey Road: gates 6pm, display 7pm