'Give piers back to the people this summer'

Thousands lined the streets of St Peter Port yesterday to celebrate the island's national day. The Town piers were buzzing as islanders made the most of the perfect weather conditions. Reports by Nicci Martel, Simon Tostevin and Rebecca Wightman. Pictures by Adrian Miller THE success of this year's Liberation Day should encourage the States to think again about the closure of the Town piers during the summer evenings.

Organising committee chairman Mike O'Hara believes the impact made by the World of Freedom area on the Albert Pier, the Taste of Freedom area on the Crown Pier and the Freedom to Reminisce area at the

bus terminus could transfer

successfully again to specific events this summer.

He said he would look to speak to Home Department minister Mike Torode about the possibility.

'A lot of people have suggested to me that on the back of Liberation Day we should perhaps see if the piers can temporarily close again during the summer evenings.

'The events went down so well with the public that I think it would be a great idea.

'Mike Torode was instrumental in getting them closed last time around, so it will be interesting to see if it's a possibility again.'

Deputy O'Hara was thankful that the weather had been kind enough yesterday to allow for the wide range of entertainment offered.

'There was plenty for everyone to do. The seafront was completely open unlike last year - because of the cavalcade - and it was still absolutely packed. It felt extremely busy.

'It's important to put smiles on people's faces, and overall it has just been a great party.'

THE sounds of African drums could be heard coming from the Albert Pier yesterday.

An eight-strong group performed a series of songs and dances based on traditional African music.

'These traditional dances have been around for years,' said Alex Otoo, 30. 'What we've done is polished them up a bit to make them look a bit more modern.'

He said that no two performances were ever quite the same.

'There is a master drummer who leads the dance. When he changes the pace then all the dancers have to follow.'

A variety of traditional African drums were used in the performance, including the gymbe and the kpalogo.

Mr Otoo said that the band, which is called Brekete - the Ghanaian word for a two-sided drum - has been performing around the globe for the last 15 years.

He said that no matter where they were performing they always enjoyed themselves.

'We've had the privilege of performing in so many countries,' he said. 'It's always a lot of fun. We love it when we start drumming and singing and we see the smiles all over people's faces.'

Karen Lovell, 45, who is a paralegal for a hedge fund, was impressed with the troop.

'The beat drew us in, we had to come and watch,' she said. 'It must be hard dancing on tarmac rather than grass, though.'

Her husband Geoffrey, 51, who works in a bank, agreed: 'They must be fit as well because they are very energetic.'

He added that he was impressed with the amount of activities going on. 'It must be hard finding something new every year but they always seem to do it.'

Both said that they were enjoying the day's festivities.

'It's nice that it's a local holiday for local people,' said Mrs Lovell.

The band, which is based in London, will be performing at a festival in Luton later in the month.

WORLD-CLASS stunt riders wowed audiences at the Crown Pier yesterday.

Martin Crosswaite and Dan Clark - who were part of a four-man team that won the world trials riding title in 2000 - performed a series of jumps, freestyle tricks and wheelies on their 250cc motorbikes.

Among their most daring stunts was a 14ft leap to the top of a platform overlooking the harbour.

'You've got to be committed,' said Mr Crosswaite. 'When you hit the ramp you've got to believe that you're going to get to the top.'

The X-Treme Motorcycle Stunt Trials Display Team was formed in 1998. Since then they have shown off their skills at venues around the country.

This was the first time that the duo has come to Guernsey.

'We've been to all sorts of shows but we're never really impressed by them. This one's been great - it's like a New Year's Eve party.'

Hundreds of people came to watch during the course of the day.

'The crowd have really enjoyed it. We try and involve them as much as we can by getting them screaming and clapping.'

He said that the hardest trick was balancing on the back wheel and jumping from metre-tall boxes arranged in a rectangle.

'That takes years and years to learn,' he said.

Elizabeth College pupil Jake Mann, 17, was impressed.

'It's very dangerous,' he said. 'There's not much room for error. They could easily go off the edge and into the sea.'

Housewife June Brimage, 53, who is also a lunchtime supervisor at St Sampson's Infants, said that the display was really good.

'It was really exciting,' she said. 'They did some amazing tricks. I particularly liked the bit at the end when they went up the ramp and landed right at the top of the platform.'

Ten-year-old Liam Sarre agreed and said that he would like to be a motorbike rider and skateboarder when he was older.

'I've never seen anything like that before,' he said. 'They were both really good.'

THE Freedom to Reminisce proved popular with both young and old at the bus terminus yesterday.

The area played host to dancing, market stalls and music and was specifically designed to cater for the elderly.

'We've been told in the past by older people that they don't like coming to Town on Liberation Day because of the noise. So this is a designated area for them that is slightly out of the way of other events,' said Karen Melhuish, an events organiser for CMA.

Crowds were spilling out of the marquee which was offering free tea, coffee, teacakes and gache.

Age Concern has been in charge of manning the refreshments for the 'pensioners' parlour' for the last five years. Barbara Ashwell has been volunteering every year.

'I love doing it, it's really enjoyable. The old folk love it because it's free.'

One of the biggest crowd pleasers of the afternoon was the Glenn Miller Band, who performed for an hour.

'There were elder people bopping away. The music was brilliant. I saw at least four people dancing who were in their late 70s,' said Karla Rumens, 38, who watched the band with her family.

'It's nice that there is an area that's specially for them. There's more space for them to be themselves down here.'

It was not just the elderly who were getting into the swing of things.

'We couldn't get in the tent it was so busy. My son, he's two and he really loved that music more than anything else he's heard today,' said Jo Ouseley, a full-time mum.

At 3pm there was a performance from L'Assembllaie d'Guernesiais, a traditional dance group.

There were six couples who wore old-style Guernsey clothes and they were accompanied by an accordion.

The society has been performing on Liberation Day for 20 years.