DONALD Trump made Lewes Bonfire history for being chosen for not one but four effigies.

Just days before the US presidential election a baying crowd heckled and booed the caricatures of the 70-year-old republican candidate on Saturday night.

They were described as the best thing ever to pass through the historic parade by some fans and organisers said it was the first time one figure was depicted in so many different scenarios.

Lewes Borough Bonfire Society's design was inspired by the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme showing a distinctly egg-shaped Trump sat on the wall he pledged to build to keep Mexicans out of the US if he was elected. He was also seen riding a rodeo bull draped in the American flag, in a car shooting two pistols by other groups taking part in the event and dressed up as a clown.

Last night Trump was narrowly behind Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton in the polls but the gap between them has grown smaller. Today (Monday) polls report them to be neck and neck.

Mick Symes, captain of ranks for the Borough society, said: "It was a foregone conclusion he would make an appearance but I think this is the first time in history this has happened. We had two Vladimir Putins one year but never this many. Most of our display was cheered but when Trump came along he was booed - we've never had that before.

"We don't call ours an effigy, it is a tableau, because we are not passing any judgement, we are simply reflecting a figure and in this case his comments on building a wall between America and Mexico."

Brexit was also lampooned with a giant scene of Theresa May, Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Nigel Farage emerging alongside the more traditional religious and Guy Fawkes figures. They were burned on bonfires around the town at the end of the night. Meanwhile another Trump effigy, holding Clinton's head, was set alight in Kent.

Around 40,000 people attended the celebrations - more than last year but fewer compared with previous events held on a Saturday.

This was thought to be down to the absence of trains stopping in Lewes amid the RMT strikes.

Buses ran shuttle services from Brighton which on the whole ran smoothly but a road block around the town did cause some confusion seeing some revellers chance their luck by dodging cars to cross the road to get nearer the action.

South East Coast Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance had to treat 81 minor injuries - less than last year. There were just two arrests - one on suspicion of carrying a knife and the other for affray - as opposed to more than 20 last year - but there was a marked increase of officers on the street. Police cars guarded the entrances to the town and officers on motorbikes patrolled the A27 while neighbourhood and armed officers lined the streets alongside marshals..

Mr Symes said: "We were initially concerned by the increased police presence as in the past it has, on occasion, been oppressive, but they kept back, did not spoil the night but also interacted with the crowd and looked like they were enjoying themselves. The road block could have been better organised."

COSTUME CONTROVERSY

BONFIRE societies came under fire for 'blacking up' in costume for the Lewes Bonfire parade.

Lewes Borough Bonfire Society honoured the Zulus by wearing traditional costume but also wore black face and body paint.

Commercial Square Bonfire Society depicted Native Americans with a totem pole, head dresses and red faces.

Liam Lane, 19, a law student at the University of Sussex, said: "I don’t particularly get the relevance or why it was happening. I think it is quite an outdated thing to do. There are more sensitive ways to do it. I saw around 50 people blacked up."

Jasmine Ivory took to Twitter after to criticise the decision. She said: "Lewes bonfire was fun but was there any need for blackface and dressing as native Americans even if it is tradition?"

While Adrian Bott said: "It's strange how the festivities can be so forward facing - the effigies are always relevant to the news - but also simultaneously so regressive.”

But Mick Symes, captain of ranks for the Borough society, said it was not meant to discriminate or offend and too many were concerned with this rather than enjoying the overall event.

He said: "Zulu is the oldest bonfire costume there is and this is something we have done before. We find it is often young students who dislike it and are probably not understanding our way of reflecting and honouring a proud nation. We do not stand for any form of discrimination."