Building a bonfire in four easy steps

Alison Patel writes: After a summer of non-stop rain and an autumn of crisp, golden leaves floating down onto the lawn, gardeners are left with one big clear-up job.

One solution is to let all of your garden waste go up in smoke.

For those unfamiliar with the art of bonfire building, the Telegraph is on-hand to provide tips on constructing the perfect pyre.

The paper recommends finding a good site far away from fences, building and plants - while also removing any household rubbish, as it will produce poisonous fumes.

Next up, you should arrange some small logs in a circular shape and lay the bed with charcoal briquettes. It is then a good idea to assemble a small teepee using tied together twigs and kindling.

Finally, all that's left is to throw your unwanted waste into your teepee before lighting a match and watching the whole thing go up in flames.

Remember, you should never need to use petrol or oil for your bonfire and should always have a bucket of water close-by.

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