ROCKETS lit up the night sky as a myriad of colour, light and music broke out across Southampton to celebrate Diwali.

Thousands of people from across Hampshire headed to Sikh and Hindu temples to see fireworks litter the night sky and enjoy the Festival of Light.

People from across Southampton headed to the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in Radcliffe Road or to the city’s Sikh gurdwaras to enjoy the spectacle.

At the Hindu temple hundreds of people began celebrating the two-day extravaganza of dance, singing and food with a deafening firework display.

Even those who were not part of the two faiths were out to celebrate last night which sees people honour the goddess Lakshmi and hope for spiritual and material wealth and prosperity for the coming year.

Daily Echo:

Tonight (Friday) sees a banquet at the Radcliffe Road temple while families traditionally come together over the course of five days to see in the New Year.

Chariman of the trustees of the St Mary’s Temple, Avins Patel said: “We are delighted with the number of people who turned up.

“Every year people are looking for to this day especially the children who are born in this country and want to find out more about our culture.

“We feel that we are adding colour to Southampton’s heritage, especially in this year when it celebrates 50 years as a city.”