Part of a week of events to enjoy the river, the River of Light finale took place on Saturday, with dozens of youngsters and adults taking to the banks with willow lanterns, enjoying a fire display, music and more.

THe week-long celebration was held to mark one of the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s most successful urban wildlife projects, Routes To The River Tone.

The Routes to The River Tone project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund with additional support from Viridor Waste Management, was launched in 2014 and has provided a range of events and initiatives to help people get involved in conservation.

From Polly Skene

What is your response?Dancing with fire.

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Dancing with fire.

Nick Tomlinson, Routes the The River Tone manager, said before the event: “We really weren’t prepared for the overwhelming response we received when we started to talk to people from the communities, neighbourhoods, schools and community groups across Taunton.

"The cumulative amount of passion, enthusiasm and interest that people have shown over the past three years and the popularity of the events we have put on, really shows that people in Taunton really do value nature and understand how critical it is that we make ourselves responsible for ensuring our wild places are still there to enjoy going forwards."

Simon Nash, CEO of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, added: “Community-based support for involvement and engagement with the environment is the key to the long term, sustainable management of Taunton’s wild and open spaces, as well as the health and wellbeing of the communities that surround them.

"Projects such as this one leave a significant and lasting legacy that can be taken beyond the life of the project itself and owned by the people who enjoy these places the most.”

Look out for more pictures from the celebration in your County Gazette this week and send us your pictures using the feature below...