Funfair, Ripley Bonfire, Surrey

Bonfire night in the UK is the 5th of November. But the communal Bonfire in Ripley Village, near Guildford is always on the last Saturday of October. The format is the same every year - a torchlight procession to light the bonfire followed by fireworks.

The bonfire is built in a depression that used to be the village pond. It's a shame it's not there anymore. Just beyond the fire is Benson's Funfair featured here. The fair ground rides won out for the Blip since we might just get to another bonfire next weekend.

We've been coming here for years and usually we go on the rides. But this year it was just as much fun to photograph them instead, and kinder on the stomach. Communal bonfires are OK but they're not the same as the family bonfires we had as children. No fears about health and safety in those days. They were good times and you made your own fire after collecting wood over the half-term holiday. We called that chumping around our way but there are other words for it in different parts of the country.