The Torrington Victory will go up in flames on the night of 27th August in front of thousands of people complete with a 24-gun volley from the vessel's gunports and a narration of the Trafalgar conflict.

The wooden replica has been built by the Torrington Cavaliers, a charity group which has a long history of building spectacular charity bonfires.

The replica has taken two years to construct

The huge yellow and black three-deck hull comes complete with figurehead, 48 gunports, anchor, cabins and lifeboats.

Project leader Dick Matthews said: "We have had plenty of comments about the Victory - people have said it is awesome and so realistic."

The finishing touches were added over the weekend of 23rd/24th July when the vessel's three 100ft masts were erected, complete with spars, 13 miles of rigging and sails.

Great Fire of London

The aim is to raise £57,000 - the cost of the original Victory - for cancer charities and local good causes. Mr Matthews' great-great-great grandfather was cabin boy aboard the Victory.

A bonfire depicting the Great Fire of London

The boy, whose surname was Oliver, can be seen in a painting, depicting the scene of Nelson shot aboard Victory, which hangs in the House of Commons.

To boost the amount of money raised for charity,  the Cavaliers are to hold an internet auction in which the highest bidder will win the right to set light to the bonfire.

Over the years, the Cavaliers have forged a reputation for building and firing some of the country's most spectacular bonfires, raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity.

In 2000 they built a full-size replica of part of London as it was in 1666 and recreated the Great Fire of London by burning it down in front of 20,000 people.

A few years before that the Cavaliers, who celebrate their 35th anniversary this year, constructed a huge replica of the Houses of Parliament and invited a descendant of Guy Fawkes to put the torch to it.