November 30 2003, Scotsman.com News, Firework Victim to Stay in Hospital
A football fan who was hit in the face by a firework which shot into the stand before a Barclaycard Premiership football match was set to spend a second night in hospital.
Denise Butler had been due to leave Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital today, but a spokeswoman said doctors had decided she should remain under observation.
Mrs Butler required surgery to stitch a deep cut to her face after the firework shot sideways into the crowd at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux ground shortly before the game against Newcastle United yesterday.
Hospital spokeswoman Christine Ransome-Wallis said: "The doctors have decided she should stay in hospital tonight because there is still quite a bit of swelling to her face."
Wolves season ticket holder Mrs Butler, who is in her 30s and lives in Telford, had not suffered a fractured cheekbone, as initially feared, said Ms Ransome-Wallis.
"She had quite a bad laceration on her face, so they had to clean it thoroughly and because of the area they were treating, put her under general anaesthetic and stitch it up afterwards."
A member of staff at the ward where Mrs Butler is staying said the patient did not wish to discuss her ordeal.
Wolves have launched an inquiry into how the firework, which should have flown vertically into the air, shot sideways into the Billy Wright stand where Mrs Butler was watching the display with her 11-year-old son Luke.
Seven other fans also needed medical treatment.
Speaking outside the family home in Madeley, Telford, Mrs Butler's husband, Martyn, who was not at the game, said he was not angry about what happened.
"It was just an unfortunate accident, it is just one of those things," he said.
"I'm more concerned about the injury to Denise at the moment. We don't know whether there is going to be a permanent scar.
"Luke had a very lucky escape because he was stood right next to Denise."
The club's chief executive Jez Moxey said the club would not be holding pre-match firework displays in future.
Mr Moxey said: "It was a deeply unfortunate incident where a woman was hit on the left side of her face by a firework which diverted off course from the organised display. She has suffered lacerations to the face but she has not been burned.
"Obviously, this was a very frightening experience for everyone involved and we are all shocked.
"The woman was treated by medics here at Molineux straightaway where she was given stitches to the wound before being taken to hospital."
The licensed display had been run by Midlands-based Jubilee Fireworks, who have organised the same events at the club's ground for two seasons, Mr Moxey said.
"It is the same display that we use for most matches and a risk assessment is carried out both by the club and the company in advance of every display," he said.
"A full investigation has now been launched by the club as well as the local authority to find out what went wrong. But, I can say without doubt now that there will be no more displays here at Molineux as a consequence of this incident."
Witnesses said concerns had been raised about the display because of high winds at the ground.
Chris Pearce, managing director of Jubilee Fireworks, said the cause of the accident would not be fully established until next week.
"An inquiry is taking place as we speak and our concerns are for the lady who was injured," said Mr Pearce.
"It appears that a comet star pyrotechnic effect fired horizontally instead of vertically and we cannot be sure why that has happened.
"We assess the weather conditions before displays and there was no consideration about not having a display.
"These are not the type of effects that tend to be affected by the wind and it would have to have been extremely strong to have blown the firework off."

November 29 2003, Scotsman.com, Officials Investigate Football Crowd Firework Explosion
Investigators were tonight still trying to discover why a display firework exploded into a football crowd injuring eight people. One woman suffered a fractured cheekbone and seven others needed medical treatment after the accident before the Premiership match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.
The woman was hit after the firework, which should have fired vertically, shot sideways into the Billy Wright stand at Wolves' Molineux ground the teams took to the pitch. Players ducked to avoid the projectile as it streaked over their heads.
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey said: "It was a deeply unfortunate incident where a woman was hit on the left side of her face by a firework which diverted off course from the organised display. She has suffered lacerations to the face but she has not been burned. "Obviously, this was a very frightening experience for everyone involved and we are all shocked.  "The woman was treated by medics here at Molineux straight away where she was given stitches to the wound before being taken to hospital."
Stewards were seen leading supporters, including young children, away from the area and West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that seven other fans required medical attention.  Mr Moxey said that the licensed display had been run by Midlands-based Jubilee Fireworks, who have organised the same events at the club's ground for two seasons. "It is the same display that we use for most matches and a risk assessment is carried out both by the club and the company in advance of every display," he said.
"A full investigation has now been launched by the club as well as the local authority to find out to find out what went wrong. But, I can say without doubt now that there will be no more displays here at Molineux as a consequence of today's incident."
Witnesses said concerns had been raised about the display because of high winds at the ground and claimed one effect was blown over before it was fired. Chris Pearce, managing director of Jubilee Fireworks, said the cause of the accident would not be fully established until next week.  "An inquiry is taking place as we speak and our concerns are for the lady who was injured," said Mr Pearce.  "It appears that a comet star pyrotechnic effect fired horizontally instead of vertically and we cannot be sure why that has happened.  "We assess the weather conditions before displays and there was no consideration about not having a display this morning.  "These are not the type of effects that tend to be affected by the wind and it would have to have been extremely strong to have blown the firework off course." 

November 28 2003, BBC News, Blunkett told of city bus violence
Civilian police officers are patrolling buses to try to cut the number of violent attacks on Newport's buses every day.   Home Secretary David Blunkett, who visited the city's bus station on Friday, welcomed the new patrols.
He said he wanted to copy the Newport scheme elsewhere in the UK.
Newport Transport's bus service has been plagued by stone throwing attacks, violence and vandalism recently.
Drivers have been attacked and passengers injured and, in the last three months alone, £30,000 of damage has been caused.   But now six police community support officers have been recruited to act as "deterrents".  "People are calling out for a uniformed presence and this is what we are here for," said Deke Williams, one of the new officers.   
New civilian officer Deke Williams patrols the buses  "It is all about preventing people from carrying out this vandalism.  "And although we have only been doing it for a few weeks now, I do think that it is working.   "Having people on board a bus in a uniform will put people off from carrying out the attacks."
The civilian officers, who will be joined by a further six recruits at the end of December, cannot carry out arrests but they are able to detain suspects.
Bus driver Robert Liddle, 36, said he had had first-hand experience of violence several times over the last 15 years.   "Gangs of young people throw bricks from the side of the road which smash the windows," he said.
"Drivers get threatened and even attacked.  "And the passengers are obviously very intimidated when incidents like this happen.   
Driver Robert Liddle has suffered three assaults   "Sometimes it feels as if the gangs are organised - we had one incident recently where a gang of youths managed to open a window of a bus and threw in a lit firework.  "Passengers can get affected too - there was an occasion recently where a thrown stone broke through the windscreen and hit a young girl on the head.  "I just hope that by having someone on board in a uniform, it will help stop it," he added. 
The home secretary said the civilian officers had important powers.  "They have got the power to detain, they can confiscate drink and they communicate directly with the police."   Having them around, he said, gave confidence to the public, to the driver and the staff and also meant police could be freed up to tackle other crimes.  "They are a preventative - just having them there is a deterrent," Mr Blunkett said.

November 28 2003, Rochdale Observer, Business on alert after firework attack
A COMMUNITY advisor is warning businesses to beware of  firework attacks after a live airbomb was pushed through his letterbox.   Hussain Si believes vandals who carried out the attack  - causing more than £1,200 of damage - were trying to burn down the Sonar Bangla Association advice centre in Milkstone Road, Deeplish, where he is manager. 
He does not think it was a specifically racist attack, but is worried that other advice and community centres could be targetted.  "I don't know who did this, but maybe it is people who don't like the centre," he said. "I have no idea who would want to harm us. We have had no other problems up until now."
The airbomb exploded inside the front office of the centre, damaging the front door and scorching the carpet.   Powder residue also shot across the building and burnt a back wall  two metres from office computers.  "I want people at other centres to know that they should be careful, especially where children are taught, like here," Mr Si said. "We believe this was an attempt to burn the building down and are calling on the police to take action and patrol the area more.  "If the firework had reached anything electrical there could have been a fire."
New equipment will have to be replaced and Mr Si estimates that it will cost more than £1,200 to repair the centre, which was temporarily closed down by the attack.
A recent survey by the Chamber of Trade suggested the average cost of crime to each Rochdale business was almost £10,000 a year - nearly double the national figure.
David Peacock, chief executive of North Manchester Chamber Business Connections, said of Tuesday's attack:  "We deplore such things. It just shows the difficulties that businesses face to survive.   "In some circumstances a business will just say 'this isn't going to work' and will instead look to find a safer environment."
He described the average cost to Rochdale businesses estimated in the survey as 'phenomenal.'
Crime spokeswoman Councillor Lynn Brosnan said she was appalled by the attack, which is being investigated by police.  "This incident raises a bigger issue because it is happening across the board," she said. "There have been a number of very near misses recently where fireworks have been thrown into skips, wheelie bins, gardens and letterboxes.   "The reality is that sooner or later these kids are going to kill somebody. I would hate to think that they realise the seriousness of what they are doing because if they do we are really in trouble."

November 27 2003, Reuters AlertNet - Firework deaths soar in China despite new controls
BEIJING, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Fireworks-related deaths shot up nearly 25 percent in China in the first nine months of the year, with the government blaming local officials protecting unlicensed manufacturers often operating in the poor hinterland.
The official Xinhua news agency said there had been 98 fireworks-related explosions across the country from January to September, up 21 percent from the same period of 2002. The blasts killed 209 people.
Still, Xinhua quoted the deputy director of the State Administration of Production Safety, Sun Huashan, telling a forum that the government had brought the production of fireworks under strict control to curb accidents.
Fireworks have been a fixture of festive occasions like the Lunar New Year for centuries in China, where gunpowder was invented.
Beijing has continually pledged a broad crackdown on illegal fireworks shops and storehouses -- some that employ child labourers in poverty-stricken rural areas -- after a spree of deadly blasts in the last two years.
But Sun said the illegal production has resurged in some areas due to local protectionism and some people even manufactured fireworks in their home.
On Wednesday, police arrested seven people in connection with a November 15 blast in the southern province of Guangxi which killed 16 people and seriously injured 19, the agency said.
One of the suspects, Zhang Yuanlang, is accused of removing seven bodies from the accident scene to a mountain 1.5 km (one mile) away. Another person was still missing, it said.

November 27 2003, Yahoo! News - Exit Poll Puts Radicals Ahead
BELFAST (Reuters) - The Catholic IRA guerrillas' political ally and Ian Paisley's hard-line Protestant party have both gained ground on their moderate rivals in Northern Ireland's assembly election, an exit poll showed on Thursday…...
…..The 1998 agreement ended the worst of three decades of bloodshed in which 3,600 people died as the IRA fought to end British rule. But it ushered in a new era of political quarrelling and low-level violence has continued.  In a reminder of that, police said youths had rioted at a polling station in Northern Ireland's second city, Londonderry, hurling 50 petrol bombs as well as stones and fireworks.
No one was injured but the station was damaged and election officials needed a police escort out after the riot erupted near the end of polling late on Wednesday.

November 25 2003, This is North Scotland,  Bid to ban fireworks
Aberdeenshire councillors are this week expected to officially back calls for a ban on the sale of fireworks to under-18s.   Members of the authority's infrastructure services committee are being asked to write to the Department of Trade and Industry, supporting the proposals, which also prohibit the possession of category 4 fireworks by the public.
The move follows an undercover investigation by the authority, which led to one retailer being reported to the procurator fiscal for selling fireworks to a 16-year-old buyer on two separate occasions.
A report to councillors states that the restrictions on firework possession by under-18s and of category 4 fireworks, "have the potential to reduce the incidence of harm and distress to communities from anti-social or criminal behaviour".  Councillors discuss the issue in detail on Thursday.

November 25 2003, This is North Scotland, Bonfire Patrols a roaring success
The success of a campaign run in Elgin to reduce the number of calls received in the run-up to Guy Fawkes night means the scheme may be introduced throughout Moray next year.   Police in Elgin have described their bonfire patrols as a "roaring success" after potential bonfires were identified and dismantled by officers and firefighters, reducing the risk of rogue fires in the town.
The initiative was run by Grampian Police, Grampian Fire and Rescue Authority, Moray Council and Dr Gray's Hospital. Elgin's community beat officer Constable Kim Robertson, said: "The initiative went very well with the number of calls to police in the week leading up to November 5 down by over 60. I would like to thank everyone who took part for their efforts and local businesses for their co-operation in clearing away pallets and cardboard boxes, which are often used as fuel for bonfires."
However, Constable Robertson said that there were a number of people who chose to ignore the safety message the campaign was highlighting and continued to put their own and other's safety at risk by using fireworks irresponsibly.  She added: "I hope that the initiative can be introduced to other areas in Moray in time for next year as there were still a number of calls received regarding unofficial bonfires and areas of bushes being set alight in other areas of Moray."
Assistant divisional officer Frank Clayton, from Grampian Fire and Rescue Authority, said: "I am encouraged by the response from both the public and commerce as no fire calls to bonfires were received in Elgin over this period. However, it is disappointing to note that we did attend two fires in commercial properties within Elgin during this time that caused extensive damage, and are being treated as suspicious."
Nurse Tim Wood at Dr Gray's Hospital was also delighted with the initiative, which saw no firework or burns injuries.

November 24 2003, icHuddersfield, Call for clampdown on firework imports
PEOPLE who have suffered from firework misery this year are in for some good news - 2004 could well be a lot quieter and safer.
But experts say things will only improve if tough new legislation comes into force and is properly policed.
The revelation comes just days after a 17-year-old boy suffered very serious hand injuries when a firework exploded at his home at Old Bank Road in Earlsheaton, Dewsbury, last Wednesday afternoon.
He has undergone surgery at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.
John Woodhead, of Huddersfield, who is chairman of the British Fireworks Association (BFA) which represents manufacturers and importers, said moves were under way for further improvements following The Fireworks Act 2003.
He revealed that he would be meeting Government ministers responsible for Customs and Excise, health and safety, and community safety over the coming weeks to push for important changes in the way fireworks are imported.
The BFA wants a system put in place where imported fireworks must be taken to a licensed site - a factory which meets all the safety requirements - with a clear "paper trail" of documents accompanying them.
There should also be clear paperwork which traces the fireworks from the licensed site to licensed shops.
At the moment, imported fireworks are ending up in the hands of unscrupulous traders who sell them from the back of vans, at car boot sales or in pubs.
The BFA wants these tighter restrictions adding to the 2003 Fireworks Act.
Under the Act, noisy fireworks will be quieter and shops will be restricted to selling fireworks just three weeks before November 5 and three weeks before December 31.
Shops wanting to sell fireworks at other times will have to meet stringent conditions.
Mr Woodhead said: "A rocket powerful enough to blow a phone box apart sold this week in a pub in Leeds was handed to a member of the British Fireworks Association.
"This is exactly the kind of thing we are trying to stop and the only way is to tighten up how fireworks are imported into this country.
"The problems can be solved almost at a stroke if the regulations we want are put in place.
"No firework should leave a port unless it is going to a designated licensed site which complies with all the regulations and has the paperwork to prove it.
"All our members have sites licensed by the Health And Safety Executive and inspected by Trading Standards officials."
He added: "It seems there have been a lot more fireworks sold illegally this year from `entrepreneurs' who see it as an easy way to make money.
"They don't have the big overhead costs including insurance and storage which the licensed sites have.
"If the new regulations we want are implemented, the system to import fireworks will be foolproof.
"This means Bonfire Night in 2004 will be both quieter and safer."

November 22, 2003, Evening Star, Vandals warned after attack
VANDALS are being hunted today after warnings they could have injured someone by blowing up a post box in a Suffolk village.
A post box on a post outside Grundisburgh village hall, near Woodbridge, was destroyed in the daytime blast.
A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said: ''It was potentially quite a serious incident. The front and one side of the box were blown off in the explosion but there was no sign of any post being in the box at the time.''
It is believed that a lit firework was put inside in the post box by someone who then escaped in a car which had been waiting nearby.
The damage occurred on Wednesday at about 4.30pm, shortly after the box had been emptied of mail. Several people in the area heard the bang but they did not know what had caused it.
Maureen Hyde, Grundisburgh postmistress, said Charles Foulger, of Post Mill Gardens, reported the damage to the post office after he had seen what happened and they reported the incident.
''It is extraordinary what happened and it made a mess. The mail is collected at 4.20pm and therefore the box was empty. People will now have to post their mail at the post office,'' said Mrs Hyde.
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or saw a car revving in the area of the post office to contact PC Gooch at Woodbridge on 01473 613500.

November 21 2003, icLiverpool, Cost of Mersey firework yobs
FIREWORK yobs cost Merseyside taxpayers £500,000 over the past two months.
Merseyside chief constable Norman Bettison says it shows the need for tough new regulations over the sale of fireworks.
The figure, which covers extra police man hours and preparation for prosecutions, came from Home Office minister Hazel Blears in a parliamentary reply to St Helens South Labour MP Shaun Woodward.
She said: "The recent use of fireworks as improvised explosive devices in the north west is of particular concern."
On Bonfire Night the government announced a firework crackdown after a campaign led by Mr Bettison.
Today he said: "Dealing with these incidents has taken its toll in police time and money. It has cost the force £500,000 and is a waste when we could be doing other things.
"I have a duty to ensure the safety of members of the public and my officers and for that reason I have compiled a dossier of information."
The possession of fireworks by under-18s is to be banned, and higher penalties are to be imposed on those caught throwing them in the street.
But Mr Bettison wants a total ban on the sale of fireworks to unlicensed people.

November 20 2003, icCheshire, 'Bomb' blast rocks street
A PROBE is under way to track down thugs who used an explosive device to blow the porch of a Ditton home into smithereens.  The blast was so powerful it hurled chunks of masonry over the rooftops of houses on the opposite side of Ditch-field Road.  Some neighbours witnessed a bright blue flash, which could be seen even through closed curtains, and the whole street was woken by a huge bang. 
The explosion knocked the front door off its hinges, blew the porch to pieces and caused extensive damage to the hallway of the Ditchfield Road home.  It also destroyed a living room door. Neighbouring properties suffered broken windows and a resident said his greenhouse, on the opposite side of the road, was smashed by flying debris.
Widnes Fire Station commander Carl Hanson said: 'It was like a bomb.  'This was not your average 10p rocket and it is just fortunate that no-one was at home at the time as it could have killed someone.  'We understand this home is occupied from time to time.  'At first, we didn't know what had caused the explosion. We thought it may have been a gas leak.  'It caused a lot of devastation - the porch was made of timber and glass and was blown to smithereens. 'We must stress the danger to anyone who has got hold of something that can do this and they should hand them to the police. 'We expect people to have more sense than to do something like this.'
He added: 'The owner was shocked when they turned up but they could not think of any reason why anyone would do this. 'It was definitely deliberate and we are 100% certain that this was a firework.'
Police described the incident as 'very serious' and have launched a witness appeal in a bid to catch those responsible. They are now keen to trace the owner of a red Ford Escort which was seen shortly before the explosion, which happened at 11.30pm on Sunday. They also claim two men were spotted running from the scene towards Suffolk Place.
A police spokesman said: 'The explosion is thought to have been caused by a small device, possibly a substantial firework.' Witnesses or anyone with information which could help the police investigation should contact the officer on the case, DC Helen Lee, on 01244 613 735, or leave information in confidence on CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

November 20 2003, icHuddersfield, Shops to face the law as fireworks sting pays off
FOUR shopkeepers in Kirklees face prosecution for selling fireworks to children.
Teams of children and trading standards officers visited premises across West Yorkshire as part of the annual crackdown during the firework season.
A report to the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee - which runs trading standards - gives the latest information on this year's campaign.
It found four Kirklees shopkeepers making illegal sales, with 10 throughout the county allegedly breaking the law.
More than 100 premises throughout West Yorkshire were visited and children made 109 attempted purchases.
The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibit the sale of fireworks to children under 18.
They also require fireworks to comply with British Standards and prohibit the supply of aerial shells, jumping crackers, min-rockets, Chinese crackers and bangers.
The report adds that West Yorkshire Trading Standards received 126 complaints from the public regarding underage sales, anti-social behaviour and illegal markets.
The first complaint was received on July 29 - 11 weeks before the "official" date when fireworks should go on sale.
A voluntary code of practice between the firework industry and the Department of Trade and Industry restricts the sale of fireworks for the Bonfire Night period to three week before November 5 and several days afterwards.
The report also praises the work of the Kirklees Neighbourhood Warden Scheme as part of this year's campaign, with wardens providing information about the illegal sale of fireworks and other age-restricted products, as well as anti-social behaviour.
Areas covered as part of this year's campaign included Almondbury, Primrose Hill, Scholes at Cleckheaton, Mirfield, Golcar, Cowlersley, Birstall, Lowerhouses and Ashenhurst.
The report concludes that the number of complaints received by the county's trading standards clearly shows people's concerns during the firework season.
The campaign overall aims to reduce the number of underage sales and incidents of anti-social behaviour.

November 20 2003, This is Scunthorpe, Call to end 'Month of Fireworks'
One of the rural community's leading citizens is calling for an end to 'bonfire month' and fireworks in irresponsible hands.  Alan Lenton, chairman of Belton Parish Council, told his colleagues a monster-size firework had been lodged against the window of a local Chinese takeaway by 'hooded' youths. He said it was only when he retrieved it that he realised how big it was, with a warning that nobody should be within 25 metres when it was touched off.
Coun Lenton told the council's latest meeting "I think bonfire night has lasted a month this year - two weeks before and two weeks after." He recalled how he had encountered four 'hooded' lads who were letting off fireworks in the street, and placed one against a Chinese takeaway window, before running off.
Coun Lenton was critical that such large fireworks were available to people and said "Some of these things go off like a bomb. I think fireworks night has got out of hand."

November 19 2003, Wanstead & Woodford Guardian, Perham's action on misuse of fireworks
AFTER another annual gauntlet of fireworks was run by Redbridge residents, Ilford North MP Linda Perham demanded a response from Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Mrs Perham tackled Mr Blair during Prime Minister's Question Time and highlighted the concerns of constituents over the misuse of fireworks and their contribution to anti-social behaviour.
The Prime Minister said: "We have announced six weeks before Christmas that possession of fireworks by under-18s in public places will be made illegal.
"Possession of the largest and most powerful fireworks will be outlawed to all members of the public and there will be fixed penalty notices introduced with fines of up to £80 for people caught throwing fireworks in the street."
The measures outlined are the first to be introduced as a result of the Fireworks Act which was passed in September and will be enforced in stages over the next few months.
For the week between Halloween and Bonfire Night as many as 17 extra Community Beat officers were on the streets of Redbridge at any one time trying to deter the worst offences. Shopkeepers illegally selling fireworks to under-18s were also targeted by patrol officers. Further regulations governing the use of fireworks are due to be implemented in 2004. These will include:
A curfew banning the use of fireworks during anti-social hours.
A noise limit of 120 decibels on fireworks available to the public.
A compulsory training course for operators of public firework displays.
A new licensing system for the sale of fireworks to ensure local authorities have the power to refuse and revoke licences if retailers act inappropriately.
Mrs Perham said: "After years of effort we have finally achieved an enormous step forward. By this time next year the misuse of fireworks and the abuse of neighbours' goodwill will be outlawed and enforced."

November 19 2003, Western People, Gardia investigate Achill school explosion
Gardai in Achill are investigating an explosion at McHale College on Thursday last. A firework placed in a metal bin in the school exploded during a break between classes destroying the bin and spreading shrapnel over a wide area.
A concerned parent who contacted 'The Western People' said that it was just a fluke that nobody was killed or injured.
"If this had occurred in a classroom there is no doubt that somebody would have been killed. The explosion sent bits of the bin flying in all directions and many of the students were very upset. It is crazy that fireworks are widely available and easily obtained by children - something must be done before someone is killed."
School Principal, Neil Lynch, confirmed that the explosion was being investigated and voiced his concern at the availability of fireworks in the area.
"Thankfully nobody was injured and everything is fine. It may have been just a prank that got out of hand but it could have had serious consequences. We believe that it was caused by a firework left over from Hallowe'en and this is a problem that must be addressed throughout the country," he added.

November 18 2003, Herald Sun, Australia,   Banned firework killed only son
THE parents of a teen who was killed by an illegal backyard fireworks display yesterday called for tougher penalties and greater education.
As they left the Coroner's Court the parents of Adam Nicholas, 16, urged parents and children to avoid fireworks.
The Endeavour Hills couple was left grief-stricken when Adam, their only child, was killed after a banned sky rocket exploded in his face in June last year.
Adam was hit in the face by the 75mm aerial shell -- moving about 380km/h -- when he investigated why the rocket did not go off.
He suffered extensive head and face injuries and died three days later.
The court heard that the rocket -- designed to be used in professional fireworks displays -- was obtained by one of Adam's friends from a licensed pyrotechnician.
Cliff Nicholas, told the court he warned Adam and his friend of the danger when he discovered they had firecrackers.
"I only thought he had those tiny little firecrackers, but obviously he had got his hands on something a lot heavier," Mr Nicholas said.
Mr Nicholas admitted he was ignorant of the laws and did not realise fireworks were banned to the public in Victoria.
He said he hoped to see tougher penalties and more consistent regulations across Australia to avoid further deaths.
The court heard Australia's workplace ministers were discussing nationwide regulation of fireworks this week.
Adam's mother, Geraldine, said her son was responsible but some-one gave fireworks to his friend.
Senior Detective Damian Whitford said a prosecution over the fatality failed because of a legal technicality.
State Coroner Phil Byrne will give his findings at a later date.

November 18 2003, icSurrey Online, Children may be shielding arsonists
SCARED children are believed to be shielding arsonists who tossed an exploding firework into the cab of a car transporter, starting a fire which completely wrecked the vehicle and ruined the owner's livelihood.
Police investigating the blaze in Ian Payne's transporter at The Drive, Banstead, on Friday November 7 have established that a gang, mainly consisting of children, was led by older youths who committed the offence. They may also have threatened the children into keeping silent.
Self-employed Mr Payne, of Erith, Kent, was delivering a repaired car back to an address in the road when the gang ran down from Tattenham recreation ground and tossed a lighted firework into the cab.
The firework used was almost certainly an illegally purchased industrial item of the type often used as maritime distress flares.
Police are still appealing for witnesses and any information can be given in complete confidence to PC Trudy Hall on 01737 386185.

November 17 2003, Reuters, Five die in firework factory blasts
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Explosions at a fireworks factory in central Taiwan's Miaoli county have killed five people and injured 15, local officials say.
Three of four warehouses containing thousands of tonnes of fireworks exploded late on Sunday, with deafening reports heard as far as 19 miles away, they said on Monday.  A television cameraman and several rescue workers were among the injured, a local official said, adding the cause of the explosion was still under investigation.
"I was so scared, my legs went weak. I can't walk," one elderly woman employee with a wounded hand told local television.
Some 20 workers were rescued from fires caused by the blasts, which also cut electricity to surrounding villages. The fires were extinguished on Monday and electricity restored.
The demand for fireworks and firecrackers is expected to spike in the coming months, with the Lunar New Year festivities in late January and the Taiwan presidential elections in March.

November 15 2003, The Scotsman, Firework Vandals target post boxes
AN UPMARKET suburb of Glasgow is under siege from vandals who have blown up a string of landmarks using potentially lethal explosives.  In the latest attack, the roof of a telephone box was sent sky high after a high-powered firework was let off inside it.
Previously, two post boxes, a vending machine, and a sackful of mail inside a pillar box were all destroyed in Bearsden. Council managers estimate the damage to the telephone box at £3,500.
The first attack, two weeks ago, saw the lid of a pillar box in Thorn Road hurled 20 feet into the air. The second box in nearby Station Road took the brunt of the blast at its base.
In both cases the fireworks had been put in containers to maximise the impact of the blast. Both pillar boxes have now been removed for repairs.
Community safety officer at Milngavie police office, Mark Lundie, said the attacks had to stop before someone was hurt.  He said: "The offenders left devices to explode which could have endangered the life of anyone nearby. Someone must know who is responsible."
Police have carried out door-to-door enquiries. They fear one gang is responsible for the string of incidents and have sent samples from all attacks for forensic testing.
Last week a youth was caught on CCTV camera forcing fireworks into a vending machine at a mini-market in the town.
Witnesses reported seeing debris hurled across the main Duntocher Road, causing up to £2,000 worth of damage.
The attacks come after a speed camera was blown apart on a stretch of road dubbed "millionaire's mile", at a cost to taxpayers of £12,000.
The vandals are thought to have stuffed a lit firework into the camera housing, putting the 13ft high device between Milngavie and Strathblane out of action.
Des McNulty, MSP for Milngavie and Clydebank, said new legislation would prevent such attacks in the future. He added: "This is very concerning, particularly as it is almost two weeks since Guy Fawkes' Night.  "Legislation is being introduced that should give police additional powers. We need to find ways of preventing shops selling these explosives to children."  "I am worried about the high number of incidents in recent weeks."
New laws to control fireworks, originally put forward by Hamilton South MP Bill Tynan, were passed in September.  From next year the legislation will give councils the power to ban shopkeepers who sell often highly dangerous fireworks to children. But it came in too late to apply to this year's Guy Fawkes celebrations.

November 14 2003, Boreham Wood & Elstree Times, Police hunt rocket gang
Police, keen to get tough with firework hooligans, are appealing for witnesses to an incident in Borehamwood where a car was hit by a rocket causing £300 worth of damage.  Officers attended an address in Ripon Way at around 8.30pm on Wenesday, October 29, after the resident reported earlier damage caused to his window.
With police present, a rocket was fired, from the direction of the field between Ripon Way and Arundel Drive, and hit the car.
A group of youths seen in the vicinity were chased by police, and later one person was arrested as the incident was captured on CCTV. Police are trying to identify other members of the group and anyone who saw anything is asked to call 01707 638104 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Several other firework-related incidents took place that evening which the police are also looking into.

November 14 2003, Sutton Guardian, Scare for baby in firework attack
A young Carshalton mum has called for a crackdown on youths terrorising her neighbourhood with fireworks after a near-devastating attack on her doorstep.  Joanna Paterson, 17, of Torre Walk, was holding her baby when she answered a knock on her door on Saturday, only to find a lit firework spewing sparks outside.  She said: "They put a firework in our bin, knocked on the door and ran away. I saw the smoke and quickly shut the door."
She feared for one-year-old Kerri-Anne's life as the firework exploded, burning a hole in the roof at the front of her house.  Miss Paterson said: "I ran into the kitchen and saw lots of sparks going up by the door through the window.  "I started screaming for my mum and I ran to the phone and called the police. My baby got a scare and we thought her ears may have been damaged because of the noise."
Inspector Martin Collins, of Sutton police, said: "There has been some disorder around that area for some time now. The next step will be acceptable behaviour contracts and antisocial behaviour orders."

November 13 2003, Enfield & Haringey Independent, Dozens of fireworks seized in clampdown
A TOP Enfield councillor this week claimed that the authority's strong stance against firework misuse has been a success.  Cllr Terry Neville, cabinet member for the environment, and Tony Allen, the council's group manager of investigations, have praised the work of the fireworks response unit, run jointly by the council and the police.
The council clamped down on firework abuse this year following the volume of complaints about firework nuisance last year, and the unit has been patrolling the borough to search for any fireworks-related incidents.
Mr Allen believes it has had an effect on the behaviour of youths. He said: "Due to the good weather it was busier than last year. However, I would say our patrols had a significant success in stopping what could have turned out to be some nasty incidents.  "We confiscated more than 150 fireworks from youngsters on the streets and in parks. These fireworks could have seriously injured someone or damaged property."
One of the group's busiest nights was November 5, when, officers stopped a spontaneous street firework party and a group of youths throwing firecrackers and rockets at buses and cars. 
Cllr Neville praised the fireworks response team but called for stricter rules surrounding sales of fireworks.  He said: "Last week, a firework similar to a cluster-bomb was seized from an Enfield shop after it was about to be sold to a 15-year-old.  "My officers are doing a wonderful job this year in clamping down on illegal sales of this kind but there should be tougher legislation."
Charles Wallace, the council's trading standards manager, said: "We have toughened our approach this year and I would say our message does seem to be getting across to traders to ask for proof of age. "We will be continuing the test purchasing throughout the year."

November 13 2003, Evening Chronicle, Couple Raise the Roof
AN ELDERLY couple were stunned to find a giant firework sticking out of their roof.  Pensioners James and Joan Proctor say the rocket released during Bonfire Night celebrations could have left their Gateshead home in flames.  They did not even notice the foot-and-a-half-long firework sticking out of the 'roof of their house in Hillcroft, Birtley, until a neighbour pointed it out.
Retired air conditioning engineer Mr Proctor, 66, said: "We must have been out at the time, otherwise we would have heard that going through the front of the house.  "The tiles are about half an inch thick and it has gone straight through.  The point of the rocket is lodged inside the house. "I think it must have lost its velocity when it hit the tiles and the material behind it. If it had gone in, the rocket would still have been hot and set fire to the loft. We have been very lucky."
The couple say, the noise from fireworks this year was huge and Mr Proctor is not confident that new regulations brought in to curb the dangers will work.
Last week Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt announced a raft of new measures which included outlawing the largest and most powerful fireworks for all members of the public and doubling fixed penalties for people caught throwing fireworks in the street to £80.
Under- 18s are to be banned from possessing fireworks in a public place while the Government is consulting on a national curfew on the use of fireworks outside certain hours.
But Mr Proctor said: "I lived through the last war and it was not as bad as Bonfire Night this year. "Everybody seems to be getting these exhibition fireworks and the noise is just horrendous. "I don't think these new laws will work. People will just find ways around it the same way as cigarette runs and booze cruises abroad."

A spokesman for the Tyne and Wear Fire Service said the incident was unusual and urged the public to use common sense when using fireworks.

November 13 2003, Evening Chronicle, We must now ban fireworks
REGARDING the letter from GB, Gateshead, I have had more than enough of unruly, mostly young people, roaming around throwing fireworks. They would not use designated areas because their fun consists of loud bangs to annoy residents. Switch on house lights, hooligans will target them. It is very unfair to expect residents to put up with it.
Parents should be held more responsible for their children's behaviour. The law does not seem to enforce this. No-one should be permitted to wander around residential estates the way gangs do causing damage and distress. Fireworks should be banned, except for ceremonial occasions.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

November 13 2003, icCheshire, Fireworks should be banned
THERE should be a complete ban on members of the public being able to buy potentially deadly fireworks, believes a borough councillor.  Tony Walsh says he wants fireworks restricted to controlled, licensed displays.
He has written many times to Government ministers and Home Secretary David Blunkett during the last 18 months, calling for a widespread ban.  And he supports a petition by his borough council colleague Ian Ormerod, also calling for a ban, which has attracted at least 2,000 signatures so far.
Cllr Walsh (Lab, Whitby) stresses he is not a killjoy.  But he is worried about powerful fireworks being sold to teenagers and yobs, who then misuse them and cause havoc in the process.  Though Bonfire Night in Ellesmere Port & Neston was relatively quiet, with just 20 call-outs for the fire brigade and only minor bonfires and rubbish fires, there has been trouble elsewhere.
A Little Sutton house was set on fire after a lit firework was shoved through the letter box. Phone boxes across the borough have had fireworks thrown into them. 
Cllr Walsh said: 'I'm extremely concerned about the indiscriminate use of the fireworks throughout the year, particularly from September up to the new year.  'They cause noise and disruption, upsetting vulnerable and elderly people and terrifying pets.  'This year it seems fireworks have been getting louder and louder, and increasingly more powerful.  'They have fallen into the hands of younger and younger people, who have no regard for people's safety. It's absolutely appalling that this goes on.' 
He said action should be taken to stop increasingly powerful rockets making their way into the UK from places such as China, and being available on the black market and over the Internet.

November 13 2003, icCheshire, Near miss for firefighter
A FIREFIGHTER escaped serious injury when a high-powered rocket firework was flung in his path by youths.
Leading firefighter Craig McIntyre was making his way through Bluebell Wood in Halton Brook, Runcorn, when a rocket device exploded behind his head.  He told how the firework narrowly missed his face, and could have easily blasted into the back of him had he not moved out of the way in time.
The attack, which left 25-year-old Craig in a state of shock, is thought to have been caused by a gang of school-children no older than 11.  They were spotted running into the woodland after the incident, and police are carrying out investigations. 
It is not the first time Runcorn fire service has come under fire from anti-social behaviour, with an almost identical attack occurring at the weekend.  An entire crew was affected when it was called out to deal with a bonfire, and a rocket was hurled in its direction.  Firefighters recall being about 10ft away when the firework struck the ground, before it shot up into nearby trees.  The rocket is said to have ricocheted off the engine in Bodmin Close, Murdishaw, at about 6.30pm on Sunday.  Teenage youths were seen sprinting down an alleyway in Stratton Close, Brookvale.
Following a month-long catalogue of terror firework incidents, police and fire chiefs have named The Calvers, Littlegate and Brookvale as their target hotspots.  Craig, based at Runcorn fire station, is blaming his ordeal on deteriorating family values.  He said: 'I count myself very lucky because had I moved backwards instead of turning left like I did, it definitely would have struck me.  'These fireworks are very dangerous but the kids don't seem to realise it.  'I think I was more surprised at the age of them, and the fact they were behaving this way in the middle of the afternoon.  'Parents have also got a big part to play in all this, as after they ran off I spoke to a girl who had been standing with the rest of the gang.  'She couldn't have been more than four and yet she was telling me that her mum and dad were quite happy to let her play with fireworks.' Anyone with information on the incidents should call Halton Police on 01928 713456 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

November 13 2003, Ilford Recorder Series, Firework mystery of yard
FIRE swept through a storage yard and office space to leave a refurbishment business counting the cost.
The blaze took hold on Saturday evening and quickly spread from the wood-filled yard into the offices of Woodlands Ltd, Hampton Road, Ilford.
Firefighters who brought the inferno under control believe it was caused by a passing ember or still-hot firework landing in the yard.
But manager Tim O'Sullivan, 72, said he was not convinced.
Mr O'Sullivan, who was attending a family christening when the fire broke out, said: "I think someone has thrown a firework into the yard and done a runner.
"There's too much damage here to have been caused by a dying firework. A lot of this stuff is fire-treated and as tough as old boots, but it's been completely ruined."
A resident living above the offices raised the alarm but Mr O'Sullivan, who has run the business for 50 years, is amazed no one saw it sooner.
He said: "There was tyres and plastic sheeting in here and everything, it must have been raging and smoking for ages. How all that was going on at the side of the road at 7pm and no one noticed it is baffling."

November 13 2003, The Comet, Family shocked as banger destroys letterbox
New fireworks legislation is due to come into force next year. Although details have not been finalised the new laws are expected to limit the sale of fireworks to children, the level of noise and hours when they can be let off. Most people will be thinking it's about time. Here we report on two incidents which underline why the Government, and the people of Comet country, think that this new legislation is long overdue…
A FATHER has told of the shocking moment a firework exploded in his hallway after it was planted in his letterbox.  Garry Gover's family were upstairs in their end-of-terrace home when somebody placed a banger between the inner and outer flaps of the letterbox at about 12.30am on Saturday.
As the banger exploded, the metal inner flap was blasted across the hallway and hit the stairs, while the firework littered the hallway with debris and filled it with smoke.  "If anybody had been coming down the stairs they could have been killed," said Mr Glover.  "The flap could have pierced my head or heart, or killed one of our children or our cat.  "Thank God we heard the bang because otherwise the house could have been up in flames and we could have been a statistic.  "I thought our house had been broken into. The whole hallway was full of smoke. Your heart goes into overdrive.  "This is a real emotional thing for all of us. It's just willful stupidity."
Mr Gover's wife and three children were in the house at the time, all asleep apart from his 19-year-old son Philip who was watching a film in his bedroom. "We were woken up with a bang, I was frightened for my family, our home and our pets.  "If we had a carpet in the hall it could have caught fire," he said.
Mr Gover dialled 999 immediately and police arrived at the house in Willows Link, Stevenage, seven minutes later.  "We are Christians and we have done nothing but help the community.  "Whoever it is has to be challenged by the guilt of what they have done. We are not going to stand back and say 'you have got away with it'.
"The first thing I did was pray forgiveness for the person who has done it. I just hope they can live with themselves."
The door will cost around £1500 to replace. Police are treating the incident as criminal damage.
A force spokesperson appealed for anyone with information to contact the Eastern Area Crime Desk on 01992 533002 quoting crime reference number E1/03/8185.

Rocket crashes through roof
A rocket burst through the roof of a conservatory in Letchworth on bonfire night, leaving a pensioner frightened and angry. "If I or anyone of my family had been sitting out there like we normally do we could have been killed," said former gamekeeper Roy Lunn, 78, of Common View. "I am sure a lot of these fireworks are illegal and would be better used in Iraq, they are that powerful. The explosions some of them make are terrible and dangerous.
"The one that crashed through my conservatory had a lot of Chinese writing on and I am sure it is one of those illegal fireworks and I have told the police.  "I was washing up in the kitchen and my daughter was in the bath when I heard this tremendous crash.  "When I went into the conservatory there was a big hole in the roof and the rocket head attached to a three-foot stick was wedged under the settee."
Mr Lunn, a widower who retired eight years ago and whose hobby is making wooden bird-nesting boxes that are sold by Baldock scouts, added: "All fireworks this size should be banned for private use and only used in proper displays and not let off in back gardens close to houses. "They are too powerful and could kill or maim somebody."

November 12 2003, Evening Chronicle, Adding voice to fireworks call
I want to say many, many thanks to Lisa Croft and RV from Chapel Park who wrote excellent letters regarding the fireworks, and also thanks to you for printing the letters as they voiced the opinion of thousands of people in this country, especially on Tyneside. Can we organise petitions to be sent to the Government? I would also like to
thank KD of Heaton who rang you regarding young mothers too readily smacking and terrifying small children. I think they are nasty bullies and, I wonder, do they pick on grown-ups like they do their own children? Many thanks.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

November 12 2003, Evening Chronicle, Fireworks at stores' sales
Could anyone explain to me why, when it is now November 10, stores such as Safeway and Homebase are still advertising fireworks.
Have we not had enough?
S M, Winlaton

November 12 2003, The Citizen, Firework debris injures spectator
A WOMAN is to undergo an operation after she was hit in the face with firework debris during a Harlow Council-run display at Kingsmoor House.  Harlow Council said the woman was among some 180 people attending Friday's event at the family centre when a piece of debris from a firework went into the crowd after it exploded and hit the woman in the face. An ambulance was called and first aid administered by council staff.
The display was tailored for parents and children aged between two and 11 who use Kingsmoor House. The council has been holding such displays for three years. Council spokesman Niel Churchill said the woman was admitted to hospital for an operation.
The council said all appropriate safety measures for organising small displays were undertaken and the Firework Code followed. The council's safety and licensing manager visited the site on Saturday.  The accident will be reported to the Health and Safety Executive, "as would any accident of this nature," the council said.
The council's executive director of environment, Kevin Madden, said: "This was an unfortunate accident. Our head of community services has contacted the lady's family and has sent her our best wishes for a speedy recovery." He added: "Safety is our number one priority at any event we organise. We took all the appropriate safety precautions leading up to and on the evening of the event. I would like to praise the staff who acted so quickly to help the injured woman."

November 11 2003, Daily Record, Give Our Pets Peace
Being a pet owner, my heart goes out to the owners of the puppy tortured and killed for "fun".  One of my dogs is so terrified I can only walk her at 7am. For the rest of the day she will only go Into the garden after much persuasion. Every year she has to go on Valium for three to four months.
It's time for the total ban of the sale of fireworks to the public. Then we could know November 5 meant
November 5, not weeks of 'bombs" going off and animals and old people could rest easy.
D. W, Paisley.

LIKE many people in Wishaw, I felt ashamed at what happened to that poor puppy last week.  I also hope another local, Jack McConnell, feels the same and will help his constituents by getting neds off his streets.
S T, Wishaw.

November 11 2003, icLiverpool, Firework missed boy by inches
A LIVERPOOL woman today told how an industrial-size firework landed inches from her young son as he watched TV.  Lesley Abram, 49, screamed in horror when the rocket burst through the roof of the conservatory behind the house in Ashtree Grove, Croxteth Park.  It was still on fire when it landed next to 12-year-old Alex, as he sat on a sofa.  He got out of the way and the large firework, which hit the house at just before 7pm on Sunday, went out without injuring him.
Ms Abram, an IT teacher, said: "We heard the fireworks going off for a couple of hours and they were very loud. 
"Then there was a massive crashing sound and the conservatory roof had been shattered open.  "A big rocket firework had smashed it in and landed next to where my son was sitting just watching the television.  "He is so lucky that it did not injure him and I was terrified it would burn the house down.  "Fireworks like this have to be banned. It was so powerful it just ripped open the roof which is strong enough for someone to stand on.  "The police must find out where it came from and make sure it cannot happen again because even though bonfire night is over people are still setting fireworks off."
Alex said: "It was horrible and I am just glad I was not sat where the firework landed."  Police were called to Ms Abram's home after the rocket blasted into her house.
Other neighbours said they had also been having problems in the area with people setting off fireworks.
A police spokeswoman said: "These were industrial fireworks and we are looking into exactly what happened.
"We want to reassure the community we will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour and will listen to any concerns they have."  Call police on 0151-777 4640 or use Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

November 11 2003, icLondon, Yobs throw fireworks into crowd
THE future of an annual fireworks display is in doubt after thugs let off fireworks into a packed crowd. People were forced to dive for cover when the missiles were launched at the entrance to Brockwell Park, Herne Hill.
Although at least one man is believed to have been hit, there were no reports of serious injury at the event, or at Lambeth council's other events in Clapham Common and Streatham Common.
John Curran, 32, an NHS consultant from West Norwood, was one of those caught in the Brockwell Park crush after attending the display with his girlfriend and 20-month-old son.  He said: "When a firework came into the crowd, it was pandemonium.  "I lay across my son's pram and I think the man next to my girlfriend got hit by one.
"I thought we were going to get hit. Kids were losing it and there was real panic." 
He added his voice to those calling for the annual event to be scrapped.  He said: "The other displays are on commons, but with this being penned in, there is that potential for panic." 
A town hall spokesman said: "The event at Brockwell had serious congestion at the Herne Hill entrance and with people letting off fireworks into the crowd.   "This caused a level of panic and danger to spectators. In light of the serious situation, officers will be considering the viability of the event within the park in future due to entry and exit points being restricted.   "The council would like to apologise to people who experienced the congestion at Herne Hill and would like to thank everyone for attending the three events across the borough."
There has been nationwide concern about young people using fireworks in the run up to this year's bonfire night.
The Government has announced plans to make it illegal for people under 18 to have them in a public place.

November 11 2003, icSurrey Online, Headteacher fights firework blaze
A HEADTEACHER bravely fought a bonfire night blaze started by hooligans who lobbed a lighted firework in the foyer of her school.  Although terrified Mrs Terese Holden, head of Cuddington Junior School, Salisbury Road, Worcester Park, called the fire brigade, she grabbed a fire extinguisher and battled the blaze alone as flames spread across the carpet and up the wall - just managing to stop it from spreading until help arrived.
Mrs Holden had been working late in the building and Epsom firefighters said if she had not been on the premises to fight the flames the damage would have been a lot worse.
On the same night an elderly woman suffered shock and a 27-year-old and 30-year-old smoke inhalation after a firework was put through a letterbox at Waterfield in Tadworth.

November 11 2003, News Shopper, Kids Firework Stunt Could Have Killed
A RECOVERY driver has told how he is lucky to be alive after kids threw an industrial firework into his truck.
Erith resident Ian Payne, 45, was working at the back of his vehicle when a group of kids lobbed the explosive through the open door.  The explosion gutted the vehicle leaving Mr Payne to reflect on his near miss.
He said: "I want to tell children not to be so stupid. Someone could have been killed." In his desperation to put out the flames Mr Payne, who was working in Banstead, Surrey, when the incident happened, burnt his hand.
He said: "I only have the one vehicle so they have effectively put me out of business. I set it up 18 years ago and this is the first time I have had to stop work." The attack happened at around 7.45pm on October 31.

November 11 2003, North Devon Gazette, Police praise firework revellers
BONFIRE Night was noisy, but caused few problems for police in Barnstaple, with only one firework-related call all evening.  Sgt Roger Bartlett of Barnstaple police station, said: "After a quiet Hallowe'en we were doubly pleased that Bonfire Night produced more of the same good behaviour.  "I couldn't describe the night as quiet, but most people seemed happy to tolerate the noise and certainly we were pleased with the responsible behaviour shown by most. "Although we had extra officers on duty, the only real problem we had to deal with was that of congestion for the Chivenor organised display."
Sgt Bartlett continued: "I would like to think the message is getting through that fireworks are not for children to play with."

November 11 2003, News Shopper, Terrified by smoke bomb
A WOMAN was left "terrified and confused" when smoke engulfed her home and she was left trapped inside. The 47-year-old Gravesend resident screamed as something was pushed through her letterbox and smoke began to pour into her home at around 6pm on Sunday night.  Terrified the suspect package might be a firework or could explode at any minute, she quickly shut the porch door and dialled 999.
The mother-of-one, who lives in Rochester Road, and is too scared to be named, said: "I was terrified and confused as smoke filled the room and got into my eyes, causing them to water.  "I didn't know what it was. It could have been anything.  "Apart from anything else, the smell was horrendous. It was still there on Monday morning."
Gravesham fire brigade arrived and spoke to the woman, guiding her through the front door once they were certain it was safe.   The package was a smoke bomb but it is not the first time residents have had to put up with similar behaviour, as stone-throwing and other anti-social antics have become a nightly event.
In the run up to Bonfire Night cars, homes and telephone boxes were attacked by people misusing industrial-strength fireworks across north Kent. The situation has become so bad the smoke bomb victim, who is having new locks fitted, has been urged by her daughter to move elsewhere.
Another resident concerned by the behaviour of youths is her retired neighbour Joe Cox, 72.  He said: "Nowadays the kids are a real nuisance and it is only going to get worse. That same night, I caught three youngsters crouching outside my door, probably about to throw a firework through my letterbox. "It's a sad indictment of today's society. If I was any younger, I would go after them myself."

November 11 2003, North Devon Gazette, Police praise firework revellers
BONFIRE Night was noisy, but caused few problems for police in Barnstaple, with only one firework-related call all evening.  Sgt Roger Bartlett of Barnstaple police station, said: "After a quiet Hallowe'en we were doubly pleased that Bonfire Night produced more of the same good behaviour. "I couldn't describe the night as quiet, but most people seemed happy to tolerate the noise and certainly we were pleased with the responsible behaviour shown by most.  "Although we had extra officers on duty, the only real problem we had to deal with was that of congestion for the Chivenor organised display." Sgt Bartlett continued: "I would like to think the message is getting through that fireworks are not for children to play with."

November 11 2003, Norwich Evening News 24, Families under seige from yobs,
TERRIFIED families today demanded action to deal with gangs of young thugs who are running riot in their neighbourhood.  Beverley Road in West Earlham is being held to ransom by the yobs who have been blamed for violence, threats, break-ins and vandalism, according to the people who live there. Families claim the road is a ticking time bomb and fear unless something is done there will be serious consequences.
Today, Roy Blower, a former magistrate and county councillor, said: "Something has to be done and I would urge families affected to keep a diary of all the problems so they build up evidence."
Neighbours, some too scared to be named, told the Evening News their lives had become a living hell and were ruled by the group who roam the streets and seem to fear no one.
Victoria Elvin-King, her husband Stephen and their two young children moved to the road only a few weeks ago, but have already experienced the trouble at first hand.  "I get no rest, I can't sleep and I am constantly on my guard," said the 23-year-old.  "I suffer from depression and the situation is making it so much worse.  "They have smashed down my gate and are always coming into my garden. They are always throwing stones at the windows and calling out names.  "We feel like prisoners in our own homes and this is especially true for the elderly and ill who they regularly abuse."
The group, thought to be made up of several teenagers, but with some members as young as 10, have been causing havoc in the area for months.  At the end of the road, the notorious tag of ATL (Above the Law), the gang of teenagers who have been terrorising the area, is daubed in paint for all to see.
A pensioner who lives near Mrs Elvin-King, said the gang had been making her and her son's lives a misery.  "When I step outside my home they are calling me names and I just feel so unsafe all the time.  "On Friday they kicked my door down and stole my son's X-box. He has learning difficulties and this really upset him and me. 
"They even ripped the whole of my neighbour's fence up.  "My son and I had a bonfire and they came along and threw a firework straight into it and then called the fire brigade.  "Why can they not be made to follow an anti-social behaviour order and be under a curfew, that is what I want to know," she added.
Mr Blower, a representative of the Labour party in West Earlham, sat as a magistrate for 20 years and was involved in bringing first anti-social behaviour order in Norwich.   He said: "I was involved with the first order when we had five young men running amok in the area."  "It can be so frightening for people and they should be able to walk in their own roads without fear.  "One of the problems is parental control and I just hope the parents of these children are not at the receiving end of such fear at any time.
City councillor for the area, Steve Land, said: "This is one area people can work together with community wardens to sort this out.  "A lot of money has been spent in the area and there have been improvements, but obviously this needs to be dealt with."
Tony Cooper, who represents the wardens working in the area said they would like to meet and discuss the problem.  "Wardens are non-confrontational and this has to be remembered.  "We only have one incident of a damaged fence logged but we would really like to meet with the people of Beverley Road so we can help them and make the situation better," he added.
The callous youths are targeting the elderly and the vulnerable as they roam the streets as late as 2am or 3am.
One disabled neighbour told us he was too scared to go shopping because it meant leaving his elderly mother alone in the house.  "They torment me and my mum, who is 74, and make our lives a living hell," he said.  "Last week they smashed all our back windows and we have just had to get them all fixed.  "They sit outside and just wait, then I go out and they threaten me.  "I have been kicked and punched by them and called every name you can think of.  "They really do run the area and I don't even like going shopping because it means she is all alone and they could do anything," he added.
Police spokeswoman Nina Goad, said: "Officers have been called to several incidents in this area, including burglaries, assaults and criminal damage.  "While many of these reported offences have been detected and the offenders caught, it is still extremely important that anyone who knows who is committing any crime in the area contacts the police.  "It may be that the people responsible live in the area and local officers are keen to speak to residents who think they may know who these people are," she added.

November 10 2003, BBC NEWS, Firework launched at fire engine
A firework narrowly missed hitting a firefighter after it was launched at a fire engine which was attending a call.  The incident, on Saturday, happened after crews were called to deal with a motorcycle which was alight in Yarrow Road, Walderslade, Kent.
The firework was launched and exploded against the side of the engine causing a minor injury to the firefighter who had to be treated for shock.
In another incident in Chatham, a car was set on fire when a firework was launched at it at about 2000 GMT on Sunday.  Police arrested two men, aged 23 and 21, for arson as a result of the attack on the Nissan Bluebird in Shipwrights Avenue in Chatham.
The most recent incidents follow a spate of attacks where fireworks have been used to blow up phone boxes and have destroyed cars.
Detective Inspector David Holmes, from Medway Police, said: "Our team of officers has worked very hard in recent weeks to identify what we believe to be the offending type of fireworks, but the fireworks concerned can be purchased legitimately by an adult making prosecution very difficult.  "I welcome the move to introduce new legislation next year that will enable us to deal with such situations much more effectively."

November 10 2003, Evening Chronicle, Disgust over this fireworks display
TO THE organisers of this Years New Year celebrations:
I read with great dismay in the Evening Chronicle of the agenda for the forthcoming New Year celebrations, involving fireworks and pyrotechnic effects. I am the concerned owner of two much-loved dogs, both of which have to be medicated each year to help them through this time of year.

Having just survived the usual distressing ordeal of November 5 Guy Fawkes celebrations, which we seem to have been celebrating since September, 1 was appalled to learn of the proposals to stage several firework displays from Gateshead to Newcastle, with activities starting as early as 4.30pm. Rockets will soar 600 feet into the sky from four sites and will be visible from vantage points between Wrekenton and Newcastle.

To actually increase the use of industrial-size fireworks at this time goes against the current tidal wave of anti-firework feeling which is being reflected in the progression of new laws to limit firework use and noise levels.

Loud, industrial fireworks cause distress to the elderly, the sick, the young, wildlife and our pets. Elderly people can feel that they are being tortured in their own homes. In addition, in 2001 a RSPCA survey found that nearly 5,000 animals were treated for firework-related injuries and/or prescribed sedatives because they were so frightened. Sixteen animals were put to sleep.

I am not a killjoy. I have no issue with a well-organised public firework display on November 5 and at midnight on December 31. This is preferable to the current situation of closing the curtains and turning up the TV volume button each night as is the norm now to drown out private fireworks for a three month period.

But I cannot see any justification for condemning a large chunk of your constituents, their children and pets and the local wildlife to a prolonged barrage of noise pollution torture on New Years Eve. As we live in Whickham, we will be lucky enough to hear most of the celebrations for the full eight hours. Did you consider the many companies who now specialise in low noise fireworks for displays? They still have brilliant visual impact without the high decibel noise accompaniment. Details can be obtained from the RSPCA website.

I am disgusted that not only have you chosen to encourage and escalate a distressing trend towards loud, frightening displays but have actually spent public money to achieve it. Couldn't we have used this money to provide entertainment which lasts more than a couple of hours for the children in the area or invested it in extra measures to make our elderly residents feel more secure in their own homes?

I am sending a copy of this letter to both Councillors Tony Flynn and Mick Henry and David Clelland MP and my local councillors Mary Wallace and Peter Maughan
L C, Whickham

November 10 2003, Evening Chronicle, End to Bonfire Night
FIRE chiefs are warning that someone could be seriously injured if youngsters don't realise Bonfire Night is over.  Crews from Fossway/Walker were called out five times in one night to blazes believed to have been started by irresponsible youngsters. 
Firefighter Jimmy Hunter said: "The kids are carrying on from Bonfire Night and it has to stop. "It's a massive drain on our resources and someone could get hurt."
Among the incidents were a blaze that gutted a shed in Heaton and a Suzuki motorbike destroyed on the Byker Wall estate.

November 10 2003, ic Huddersfield - Fresh clampdown on under-age sales
A CRACKDOWN on shops which sell alcohol and cigarettes to children started today. West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers will be out all this week targeting businesses who flout the law. And they have promised tough action, including prosecutions.
Today sees that start of National Consumer Week and the theme is community safety. Senior officers at Trading Standards believe under-age sales pose a grave risk. They plan to hit hard the shops and market traders who sell fireworks, alcohol, cigarettes and other products to young people.
A series of high-profile operations are planned in several areas of the county. Shops will be visited by trading officials and youngsters will be used to make test purchases.
A spokesman for Trading Standards said: "Under-age sales are a growing problem that affects the whole of West Yorkshire. "It is particularly prevalent at this time of year, with firework sales accounting for the majority of the complaints received by our helpline. "But age-restricted products such as alcohol being sold to minors can lead to a number of other anti-social behaviour problems and it is something this service is committed to tackling".
Councillors and MPs will join trading standards officials on some of the visits to shops. They also hope to step up promotion of the Proof Of Age card scheme. The scheme was introduced in Leeds and Wakefield and is shortly to be set up in Calderdale. The scheme aims to ensure that retailers use the "No card, no sale" approach on age-restricted products. All children nearing the age of 16 can pick up a card to prove their age.

November 10 2003, Shropshire Star, Firework hit toilet block bulldozed
A block of public toilets which were blown up by a firework at a north Shropshire tourist attraction were set to be bulldozed today.  Workmen were on site at Colemere Country Park, near Ellesmere, to pull down the toilets which were destroyed two weeks ago.
Gareth Egarr, senior ranger at Northern Shropshire Countryside Services, said no decision had yet been made whether to replace the toilets.
The toilets were destroyed after vandals went on a wrecking spree armed with fireworks. Police said vandals also put a firework under the bonnet of the car. About £30,000 damage was caused.

November 9 2003, Japan Today Japan News, 2 die in explosion at fireworks event in Yamaguchi
YAMAGUCHI -- Two pyrotechnicians died and two others were injured in an explosion at a fireworks display in the town of Sanyo, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Saturday evening, local police and firefighters said.
A firework exploded at around 8:30 p.m. on the ground before its launch, they said, adding they are now investigating the cause of the explosion. (Kyodo News)

November 8 2003, Daily Record, Ban Fireworks now,
I couldn't agree more with Jim Traynor that the sale of fireworks should be banned. The only way forward is organised displays and a ban on the public sale of these lethal weapons.  The half-hearted measures proposed at
present will not prevent sickening acts like the tragic puppy whose life was cruelly ended by vicious idiots.
Terrible stories like these are all too frequent. It is time decisive action was taken.
L H, by email.

I have been reading about a possible ban on fireworks from next year. Why next year when people are being injured and maimed by them now?
Put an immediate ban on sales to the general public, with people who run organised display having to provide proof. Shop owners don't care. The only thought for them is a making a profit.
R C Livingston

I was sickened by the mindless act of cruelty inflicted by morons on the poor, defenceless puppy who had a firework tied to its tail.
I hope that those responsible for this are quickly found and brought to justice and preferably given the same treatment as the puppy.
This act should surely highlight the majority belief that there should be a total ban on selling fireworks to the public.
P A. B Kilmarnock

November 8 2003, Evening Chronicle, Restrict sale of fireworks
MOST councils have put a halt on large unauthorised bonfires hi their districts on the advice of the fire service. They now have to n designated areas.
Could this not be extended to the sale of fireworks or even put a total ban on them all together.
I'm sure most of the public would feel much safer and perhaps we can put an end to all the carnage that happens in every A and E department on November 5, leaving young and old alike maimed or disfigured for years to come.

I think organised displays are the way forward, but we must have more of them in each village, town or city - not just one, then perhaps we can put an end this misery we call bonfire night.

Is it my imagination, or are fireworks getting bigger and louder and are on sale much earlier each year that passes?
Mrs F, Blyth

November 8 2003, ic Birmingham - Pupils excluded over firework prank
Two pupils have been excluded from school for setting off a firework inside a bus packed with children. 
The teenagers were excluded after they were involved in one of three separate incidents involving fireworks on buses in the Wolverhampton area this week. West Midlands Travel said it was amazed that nobody was hurt and called for immediate action to end the "thoughtless vandalism".

The two pupils, aged 15 and 16, were excluded from Colton Hills Community School in Penn after the firework was set off in Jeremy Road, Goldthorn Hill. Pupils from Codsall High School were travelling home on another bus on the same afternoon when a firework shook the vehicle outside the Claregate pub in Codsall Road, Codsall.

And a third firework was released on board a bus in Long Knowle Lane with pupils mainly from Wednesfield High School. Dot Bagley, deputy headteacher at Colton Hills, said she was satisfied with the pupils' punishment, which would be a temporary exclusion.

Barry Brown, headteacher of Codsall High School, said he was unaware of any student being involved but would take appropriate action if it was discovered. "Until we have a name it is impossible to do anything about it," he said. "Nothing has been formally reported to the school either by Travel West Midlands or the police."

Wednesfield High School's deputy headteacher Pauline Griffiths said she was happy her pupils were not responsible for the firework incident on board the bus in Long Knowle Lane. "The incident was thoroughly investigated and does highlight again the inherent dangers of fireworks finding their way into the hands of children," she added.

Police say there is not enough evidence to take further action in any of the three cases. But Phil Bateman, Travel West Midlands spokesman, said lives were put at risk. "It is so dangerous to kids and other road users," he said.

November 8 2003, ManchesterOnline, Firework menace sparks crisis at lost dogs' home
TERRIFIED dogs who are fleeing fireworks and getting lost are ending up at Manchester Dogs' Home.
The Harpurhey refuge is reaching crisis point as more than 30 dogs day are taken in each day after being found roaming the streets by police officers and dog wardens.
The home is urging owners to come and look for their lost dogs.
Cynthia Marks, administration manager at the home, said: "Dogs are terrified of fireworks and when they arrive they are traumatised and exhausted. They are so scared they just run and run and can't find their way back.
"These dogs are being collected from police stations within a 50-mile radius of Manchester.
"We're full already and worried about the weekend because people will still be using fireworks then. If dogs are not missing, owners should make sure they keep them inside."
The home is now appealing for those looking for a pet to choose a rescue animal.
The M.E.N. is campaigning to have fireworks banned except for public displays.
Cynthia said: "Some of the fireworks are so loud they're like bombs. I think they should be banned for all our sakes."
The kennel, at Crofter's House, Moss Brook Road, Harpurhey, is open seven days a week for claiming dogs and every day except Tuesdays for rehoming.
For further information phone 0161 205 2874.