ROADS around Victoria Park will be closed on Sunday evening as thousands of people are expected to turn up for the �140,000 fireworks display staged by Tower Hamlets council.

The closures will start around 6.30pm as people begin to arrive for this year’s fireworks event which this year commemorates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Blitz.

The designated roads will remain shut continue until the crowds have dispersed safely afterwards.

At 6.30pm, Grove Road will be closed from Roman Road to Wetherell Road and Gore Road, while Lauriston Road between Wetherell Road and Gore Road and Victoria Park Road (the A106) will be made ‘Access Only’ to permit resident access but to diminish unnecessary traffic movement.

Old Ford Road will be closed from St Stephens Road in the east to Bonner Street in the west.

The larger road closure will be from 7.30pm - with closures as above but additionally Grove Road will be closed from Wetherell Road and Gore Road to Mile End Road.

Roman Road will have limited access to the east of Grove Road from St Stephens Road and to the west of Grove Road from Globe Road but there will be no route across Grove Road.

There will be resident access both sides of Grove Road throughout the closure but there will be no access available to cross Grove Road itself.

There will be some parking suspensions in place on Old Ford Road by Terrace Gate, Grove Road opposite Wennington Green and Grove Road by the junction of Mile End to allow for the safe movement of audience members in congested areas.

Tower Hamlets council is advising nearby residents to avoid entering or leaving the area by vehicle between 7pm and 9pm, when most audience members will be arriving and leaving.

There will be disabled parking spaces for Blue Badge holders via St Mark’s Gate.

The free firework display is due to start at 7.45pm and continue until 8.15pm.

A collection is being made for the Stairway to Heaven Fund which is raising cash for a memorial to 173 people who died in 1943 at Bethnal Green station when they were taking shelter when they thought a bombing raid was starting.