By Community Correspondent Adam Yaqub …The fifth of November, so the saying goes. But while the historical aspect of Christmas receives plenty of attention, November 5th has become an almost entirely commercial date in recent times.

While standing watching the fireworks on an inevitably cold and wet evening in late autumn, who really thinks about the political sparks which were flying in the early 17th Century? Guido Fawkes and his band of accomplices were planning explosions far bigger than any firework, and fires just as large to destroy what has now become one of the great symbols of democracy and freedom in the UK, the Palace Of Westminster.

While MPs are not seen as particularly popular today, an attack on the scale of what was planned for the King all those years ago is almost unimaginable now. Historians and conspiracy theorists have deliberated for many a year over what really happened - who double crossed who, who knew what, who knew something but told no-one – but the fact is parliament was saved, whether by an intricately planned security operation or a stroke of sheer luck. Either way, it could have been one of the most significant turning points in our history. We can count ourselves extremely lucky to have avoided the disaster.

So next time you find yourself standing in a muddy, wet field on a late autumn night, remember, remember, the 5th of November – and remember how lucky we were.