A SPECTACULAR fireworks display rounded off an annual town festival last night as organisers declared it one of the best yet.The firework finale, sponsored by the EADT, came at the close of the four-night Greene King Festival in the Gardens section of the 18th Bury St Edmunds Festival.

A SPECTACULAR fireworks display rounded off an annual town festival last night as organisers declared it one of the best yet.

The firework finale, sponsored by the EADT, came at the close of the four-night Greene King Festival in the Gardens section of the 18th Bury St Edmunds Festival.

Trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton and his band provided the bulk of the music for last night's final concert and festival director Nick Wells said the maestro and his band proved the perfect choice to bring the festival to a conclusion.

He said the event in Bury's Abbey Gardens was the extravaganza it promised to be. As concert-goers arrived they were greeted by the Mardi Gras Joymakers parading around the park in authentic New Orleans style.

This was followed by sets on stage from the Alan Gresty/Brain White Ragtimers, boogie-woogie pianist Bruce Boardman and finally the irrepressible Lyttelton and his band.

Mr Wells said last night's finale followed three spectacular evenings of music and dancing in the Abbey Gardens.

On Saturday Roberto Pla's Latin Jazz Ensemble turned up the heat for Let's Salsa. Described as "one of the best Latin bands to be heard anywhere in the world" the thirteen-piece band put on a top-notch show for their audience, said the director.

He said a national newspaper's prediction that audiences would "dance' till you drop" was proved right.

On Friday, the Beatles and Rolling Stones Tribute Night thrilled a large audience in the park with some old favourites. 'Hey Jude' and 'Lady Madonna' were just two of the best-received numbers from the Bandit Beatles and the Strolling Bones went down a treat with hits including 'Jumping Jack Flash' and 'Honky Tonk Women'.

The OperaBabes - alias Rebecca Knight and Karen England - who shot to fame becoming the sound of ITV's 2002 World Cup coverage, after busking in London's Covent Garden in 2001, delighted their audiences with favourite arias and songs from the shows.

Mr Wells said the Festival in the Gardens was a suitably rousing end to a successful 15-day festival, which featured other highlights including the Luminarium in the Abbey Gardens, performances at the Fat Cat Comedy Club and the visit to St Edmundsbury Cathedral by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra.

The director said: "It has been quite amazing really. The feedback I've had so far has been wonderful.

"We have had fabulous audiences for the indoor events and the Luminarium really captured the public imagination with 2,500 visitors.

"Lots of people have said it's been the best festival ever and people from around the country have been contacting me to say they have seen what's been going on in Bury and been really impressed by it.

"The Festival in the Gardens event has been extremely popular and the Beatles and Stones tribute night was particularly fantastic. It was wonderful to have 2,500 voices singing along to those well-known songs."