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| Alex Salmond effigy was blown up in Lewes | Alex Salmond effigy was blown up in Lewes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An effigy of Alex Salmond was blown up during bonfire celebrations in Lewes despite assurances that it would not be burned, it has emerged. | An effigy of Alex Salmond was blown up during bonfire celebrations in Lewes despite assurances that it would not be burned, it has emerged. |
| The effigy was one of two which were due to have been burned at the annual celebrations in the East Sussex town. | The effigy was one of two which were due to have been burned at the annual celebrations in the East Sussex town. |
| They were said by police to have been withdrawn after protests on social media. | They were said by police to have been withdrawn after protests on social media. |
| But photographs have emerged which shows one of them being blown up in a firework display. | But photographs have emerged which shows one of them being blown up in a firework display. |
| The effigy, which depicted the Scottish first minister wearing a kilt and sitting on a barrel of North Sea oil, can be seen in a grassy clearing on the edge of the town with a crowd of people watching. | The effigy, which depicted the Scottish first minister wearing a kilt and sitting on a barrel of North Sea oil, can be seen in a grassy clearing on the edge of the town with a crowd of people watching. |
| 'Explosives inside' | 'Explosives inside' |
| Subsequent images show fireworks going off in the background, until just the burnt-out base of the effigy remained inside a thick cloud of smoke. | |
| The photographs were taken at about 22:30 on Wednesday by Michael Story, who told BBC Scotland that fireworks had been embedded in, and then set off from, the effigy. | |
| He added: "As it was smouldering from the fireworks they blew up the head and the body, so they must have put explosives inside. | He added: "As it was smouldering from the fireworks they blew up the head and the body, so they must have put explosives inside. |
| "I would say there were about 500 or 600 people watching and there was some cheering." | "I would say there were about 500 or 600 people watching and there was some cheering." |
| Mr Story said he believed the fireworks had been organised by the Commercial Square bonfire society - one of six which organise separate parades and bonfires in the town every year. | Mr Story said he believed the fireworks had been organised by the Commercial Square bonfire society - one of six which organise separate parades and bonfires in the town every year. |
| He had also seen the second effigy of Mr Salmond - which had the first minister wearing a "Yes" badge, holding a "45%" sign and with Nessie looking over his shoulder - in the town, but did not know whether or not it had been destroyed. | He had also seen the second effigy of Mr Salmond - which had the first minister wearing a "Yes" badge, holding a "45%" sign and with Nessie looking over his shoulder - in the town, but did not know whether or not it had been destroyed. |
| In a tweet sent at about 21:00 on Wednesday evening, Sussex Police said: "For those enquiring we have been advised that there won't be any burning of the Alex Salmond effigies this evening in Lewes." | In a tweet sent at about 21:00 on Wednesday evening, Sussex Police said: "For those enquiring we have been advised that there won't be any burning of the Alex Salmond effigies this evening in Lewes." |
| A statement subsequently released by the force said: "We are aware of the portrayal of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond as an effigy at the 2014 Lewes Bonfire event and acknowledge that concerns have been raised. | A statement subsequently released by the force said: "We are aware of the portrayal of Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond as an effigy at the 2014 Lewes Bonfire event and acknowledge that concerns have been raised. |
| "Whilst we accept there is a long tradition of creating effigies of high-profile individuals in politics, sport, the media, etc, a complaint has nevertheless been received and will be investigated." | "Whilst we accept there is a long tradition of creating effigies of high-profile individuals in politics, sport, the media, etc, a complaint has nevertheless been received and will be investigated." |
| The row began on Wednesday afternoon when East Sussex County Council tweeted a picture of an effigy of Mr Salmond and the Loch Ness Monster. | The row began on Wednesday afternoon when East Sussex County Council tweeted a picture of an effigy of Mr Salmond and the Loch Ness Monster. |
| They faced an immediate backlash on Twitter with one user responding: "Can you imagine the uproar amongst Better Together campaigners had Yes supporters burned an effigy of David Cameron?" | They faced an immediate backlash on Twitter with one user responding: "Can you imagine the uproar amongst Better Together campaigners had Yes supporters burned an effigy of David Cameron?" |
| Others posted the council's switchboard telephone number, and urged people to complain. | Others posted the council's switchboard telephone number, and urged people to complain. |
| The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC". The original tweet was removed. | The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC". The original tweet was removed. |
| Mr Salmond responded to the initial tweet by telling BBC Scotland he was "used to insults from Tories in East Sussex". | Mr Salmond responded to the initial tweet by telling BBC Scotland he was "used to insults from Tories in East Sussex". |
| He questioned the judgement of those behind the effigy. | He questioned the judgement of those behind the effigy. |
| The effigy of Mr Salmond and Nessie was created by the Waterloo Bonfire Society, which said on Wednesday that it had "no wish or intention to offend". | The effigy of Mr Salmond and Nessie was created by the Waterloo Bonfire Society, which said on Wednesday that it had "no wish or intention to offend". |
| 'Satirical tableaux' | 'Satirical tableaux' |
| Waterloo Bonfire Society said it had a "tradition of creating satirical tableaux in caricature based on topical local, national and international events". | Waterloo Bonfire Society said it had a "tradition of creating satirical tableaux in caricature based on topical local, national and international events". |
| It said: "It is a tradition which has endured for many years and is intended to portray familiar stories and characters in a light hearted way. Clearly the Scottish referendum has been a big story in the news recently and Alex Salmond is a high profile figure. | It said: "It is a tradition which has endured for many years and is intended to portray familiar stories and characters in a light hearted way. Clearly the Scottish referendum has been a big story in the news recently and Alex Salmond is a high profile figure. |
| "We are a traditional Sussex family bonfire society and have no political affiliations. We can assure that we have no wish or intention to offend and have never found ourselves in a position where we have done so in the past. To clarify we do not burn tableaux. They are incorporated into our firework display. | "We are a traditional Sussex family bonfire society and have no political affiliations. We can assure that we have no wish or intention to offend and have never found ourselves in a position where we have done so in the past. To clarify we do not burn tableaux. They are incorporated into our firework display. |
| "In the light of the responses received to our tableau idea this year we have made the decision to withdraw it from our celebrations." | "In the light of the responses received to our tableau idea this year we have made the decision to withdraw it from our celebrations." |
| An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010. Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden. | An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010. Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden. |
| The event is said to be one of the largest bonfire celebrations in the UK, with 45,000 people attending. | The event is said to be one of the largest bonfire celebrations in the UK, with 45,000 people attending. |