A council has defended its private Jubilee party at a national park.

A selection of spectators were invited to a private Jubilee event at the Cawfields Quarry in Haltwhistle on Thursday.

Viewers were able to watch a beacon lighting ceremony featuring Roman re-enactors at the section of Hadrian’s Wall and the night was closed by a wide range of fireworks.

Despite organisers calling it a success residents are angry about not being invited to the event on their doorstep and at a public national park.

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A spokesperson for the NCC said: "The council's aim was always to encourage communities to hold local celebrations and we allocated over £70,000 specifically for that purpose - with hundreds of events taking place up and down Northumberland.

"We also wanted to maximize publicity for the county by holding a unique event, in a unique location that would interest national media.

"The activity at Cawfields Quarry was a key element of the Beacons being lit along the entire length of Hadrian's Wall - an ambition of the Queens's Pageantmaster.

"Public safety will always be the top priority in every event we organise and the quarry site provided very limited parking with difficult access, live pyrotechnics, uneven terrain, and a restricted viewing area."