Bonfire will not return to the 1066 battlefield in 2014

With just a couple of weeks to go, the event was forced to relocate from the battlefield to the Green in 2012 after the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings in October left the field a muddy mess.

Because of the damage caused to the field, it was closed to all major events in 2013, including Battle bonfire.

The Battel Bonfire Boyes were in discussion with a local landowner in a bid to host the 2013 event on an alternative site.

However this fell through and once again the bonfire was moved to the Abbey Green just weeks before the event.

Earlier this month English Heritage, which owns the 1066 battlefield, revealed it hopes to re-open the site in the spring, following months of restoration work.

But the Boyes have decided the bonfire will remain on the Abbey Green for 2014.

Spokesperson Matt Southam said: “Battel Bonfire Boyes have decided to stick with a down-scaled event on the Abbey Green this year.

“We have had two years where plans have changed late in the day so even before English Heritage had made their decision we decided we wanted to have a year where we knew from the start what we were planning for.”

For the past two years, Battle Abbey has acted as the control room for the emergency services during the bonfire.

Jo Stewart, property manager at Battle Abbey, says the site will continue to offer its support to the event.

Jo said: “We will definitely support them and the emergency services as we have done for the last two years.”