During its heyday between the 1950s and early '70s a factory in Kent produced fireworks for royal regattas, Disneyland and even the Winter Olympics.
The Wells Fireworks Factory in Dartford earned itself a reputation as the "Rolls Royce" of the explosives industry, producing both top-quality displays for large global events, as well as back garden bangers.
Not much remains of the once thriving Wells Fireworks Factory pictured here in 2013
More than 70 years ago the family-run firm, first started by lighterman Joseph Wells, was at the forefront of the industry and also made pyrotechnics for the military during the war effort.
When it expanded its operation to Dartford in 1938 it was considered by the Home Office to be the best laid out factory in Europe.
It employed more than 150 people who worked out of a series of eerie-looking huts. Each spaced out separately by design to guard against its mass self destruction in the event of a fire.
But since it closed several decades ago, little remains of the site lost deep in the north Kent marshes.
Now through a collection of images gathered over the years by urban explorations to the site, we delve back into the fascinating history of this once thriving manufacturing hub.
It's worth highlighting, however, that KentOnline has been made aware parts of the site aren't safe and visits are not encouraged or recommended.
Have a look at all the photos here:
The site consists of small huts made of timber and corrugated ironShed structures were designed with safety features in mind such as wooden handles to prevent sparks and padlocks as picturedThe then London County Council objected to the site because of its closeness to local hospitals including the former Joyce Green site, since replaced by Darent ValleyMany of the huts were intended to be temporary and built to fold inwards in the event of an explosion to prevent the further spread of firesThe site was divided into two collections of huts with those working in the brightly coloured huts ordered to work separately from those in the grey to prevent cross-contaminationIndividual huts were assigned different numbersThe factory was instrumental in the war effort with simulator gun flashes created for use in armed conflicts during the Second World WarThe Dartford site suffered a direct hit from a German bomb which destroyed the entry gates, demolished the office and did considerable damage to the manufacturing facility. Photo: @belvedereploddersWells secured deals with several high-profile clients across the Atlantic including a contract with Walt Disney to supply fireworks for their Florida theme park. Photo: @belvedereploddersInside one of the warehouses where goods would have been inspected ahead of being rolled out. Photo: Beyond The PointWells failed to recover from the Great Flood of 1953 which caused a chemical explosion that reportedly broke window as far afield as Dartford High StreetDespite its popularity the firm's production efforts came to a grinding halt in the 1970's with the emergence of Chinese imports. Photo: @RXQueen74Today many of the buildings remain in ruin. Photo: @RXQueen74"No one will ever know I was here". Photo: @RXQueen74The darkened enclosure of some of the more firmer outposts reek of damp smells and the roof has started to collapseWorkshops have been left abandoned and exposed to the elementsNature has already begun the process of reclaiming others. Photo: @RXQueen74Many of the sheds are in a poor and derelict stateThe UK Pyrotechnics Society campaigned to take some of the sheds and preserve them at a museum in Sussex, but this plan fell through when funds were not forthcomingGreenwich University were the last known owners of the site but are understood to have since relinquished control. Photo: @belvedereploddersIn recent years additional fencing has been erected around the site, with some suggesting it could spark back into action for use as housing
