The annual Halloween fireworks displays hosted in Enniskillen and Omagh have been cancelled less than a week before they were due to return for the first time since 2019.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council confirmed the news with a statement on Tuesday, with the events no longer going ahead on Monday 31 October due to 'immediate financial pressures' on the local authority.
A spokesperson for the local council said it was required to 'reprioritise' its budgets in order to meet its financial obligations.
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"Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Halloween Fireworks event, which was due to take place in Enniskillen and Omagh on Monday 31 October 2022, has been cancelled," the statement said.
"Given the scale of the immediate financial pressures on the Council, together with the wider cost of living crisis, the Council has been required to re-prioritise its budgets to ensure that it can meet its core financial obligations.
"The Council is aware of the challenges households face in the coming months and is undertaking a wider review of budgets and is working with its statutory partners, local support organisations, and charities to develop schemes to support residents in our district through the cost of living crisis.
"The Council recognises that the decision to cancel the Halloween Fireworks events is disappointing, but it is reflective of the very challenging financial environment in which we are operating."
The fireworks displays had been cancelled for a second year in a row in 2021 due to council authorities not having sufficient time to plan due to the uncertainty related to Covid restrictions earlier in the year.
Now the latest cancellation just six days before the popular event will lead to further disappointment for families hoping to attend the displays.
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