The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fireworks expert lights fuse on bonfire season
Counterterror specialist’s sideline, Blast Design, runs shows
An explosives specialist and sometime counter-terrorist guru is gearing up for a busy bonfire season.
John Kettles will light the fuse on a series of fireworks displays in Perthshire and Angus.
Mr Kettles, owner of Perth-based firm Blast Design, has been running local shows for the past 20 years, helping gather tens of thousands of pounds for charities.
Blast Design is responsible for some of the country’s biggest displays and won the Scottish National Fireworks Championships in 2007.
The following year, the firm came second – “to China, which is maybe to be expected” – in the World Fireworks Championships in 2008.
But fireworks are just a sideline for Comrie-based Mr Kettles.
He also works in the anti-terrorism industry, tests liquid explosives, military and civilian explosives, and works in the film industry producing special effects.
He has travelled the world and also worked for NATO, the Ministry of Defence, defence companies and government agencies, testing and proofing military explosives, countermeasures, training and armour testing at a range in Glen Artney, Perthshire.
“I still get a lot of enjoyment out of these local firework shows,” he said.
“They go down well with audiences, but they are also popular with the fire service and police because it discourages people from having their own private events.”
The first of these this year will be the Blast in the Park display at Coupar Angus which draws thousands of spectators each year. It gets under way at 7pm in Larghan Park on Friday.
This year the event will raise money for the haemotology/oncology department at Perth Royal Infirmary.
“It has really gone from strength to strength,” he said. “The Coupar Angus display usually attracts about 4,500 people.
“When we started out, there were people in Coupar Angus who questioned whether we would be able to raise the money needed for a good display.
“I went out, from the chicken factory to the Red House Hotel, and spoke to as many local businesses as I could about what we were planning.
“The support we received was fantastic and it has become one of the biggest nights on the calendar.”
Displays at Blairgowrie and Comrie will take place on Saturday. Money from the Comrie show, which Blast Design has run free-of-charge for the last three years, will also go to the local school.