The flag came down on Bungay’s sun-drenched two-week festival with an evening of colourful and musical entertainment at the Castle.

The Speckled Band played, the Dumasani Drummers provided a vibrant beat encouraging the audience to dance on stage, and duo Lois and Andy provided another brand of music for the crowds on Sunday.

A spectacular display of fire dancing by Rebecca Jane provided the atmosphere for the festival theme, the 330th anniversary of the Great Fire of Bungay, and Liz Lee’s dancers completed the on-stage entertainment with their routines.

As dusk fell, town reeve Stephen Went and mayor Mick Lincoln, praised the work of the festival committee and thanked people for their support for the many events, before ceremonially lighting the town beacon as a light display replicated flickering flames on the castle’s twin towers.

Abbot Charles Lombard, of St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Church, gave a final blessing before the two dignitaries lowered the flag on the castle to signal the end of two weeks of wide ranging entertainment.

Festival committee chairman Didy Ward said afterwards: “This year’s exceptionally hot summer has shown off the Bungay Festival at it’s very best, especially with our fire theme.

“From the start of the festival, with Bungay Museum’s exhibition showing the effects of that terrible fire in 1688 echoed in dance by Liz Lee’s ballet school at the closing ceremony, we have enjoyed so many special festival events.

“The town stepped up with magnificent fire-themed windows, fiery bunting and gorgeous hanging baskets in oranges, reds and yellows from Bungay In Bloom. This is a community that pulls together.

“The festival always shows off just what our town can do and this year our concerts and quizzes, talks and walks, have been wonderful, culminating in a spectacular closing ceremony organised by the Fisher Theatre. As I listened to the drummers drumming, with the moon up in the sky behind me, and the Bigod flag fluttering from the castle turrets, lit with dancing flames, I thought - how wonderful! Now - what shall we do next year?”

The winner of the shop window competition was Sew and So’s in Upper Olland Street, who received a certificate and two tickets to a show of their choice at the Fisher Theatre.

Ahead of the closing ceremony on Sunday, crowds flocked to the town centre for the popular antiques street fair featuring more than 70 antique and vintage dealers, a new food court in the King’s Head Yard and an art and craft fair in St Mary’s Church.