February 21 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
The controlled sale of fireworks in my part of the world has been instituted as far back as the 1980's. Children under a certain age were only allowed to purchase fireworks if accompanied by an adult. Of course this law was flaunted at every turn but now once more the attempted ban here is as much over the scaring of animals as it is to the injury to humans. Although hundreds of animals are traumatised every year, I cannot see it being enforced in the near future as some of our diverse ethnic population need fireworks to celebrate religious occasions. I would be interested to know how many people are injured in the Far East and Mexico where fireworks are used all the time for festivals. The only reason people would be deterred from buying fireworks here in South Africa would be the cost factor. Make them so expensive that the average man in the street would soon lose the urge to purchase them.
D. M. S. South Africa

February 21 2003, This is Essex, Essex MPs support firework controls
Essex MPs are supporting moves by two animal charities to bring tighter controls on the sale, use and noise levels of fireworks.
Guide Dogs for the Blind is urging MPs to support the second reading of a Private Members Bill to help bring tighter controls on the use of fireworks.
The move coincides with the publication of 'Quiet Please', an RSPCA report with findings from vets, scientists and explosives consultants calling for a reduction in firework noise.
The report lists numerous cases from the 4,825 animals injured or killed last year as a result of fireworks, including a dog that, trying to escape the noise, caught its collar on a door handle and hanged itself.
John Matthews, partner at Clarendon House Veterinary Surgery, Chelmsford said: "It's a major, major problem.
There is psychological distress to the animal more than physical damage. Many animals are terrified by fireworks and once the animal is scared sedatives don't work."
He added: "Ideally I would like to see fireworks only allowed in public displays and only at certain times."
Simon Burns, MP for Chelmsford West, said: "I have a great deal of sympathy for the situation.
Fireworks are being used more and more; they are a threat to animals and a nuisance.
I wouldn't want to see fireworks banned, but there is a proper time and place for them.
"The bill is supported by several Essex MPs including Castle Point MP Dr Bob Spink , Teddy Taylor  MP for Southend East and Rochford, and Linda Perham, MP for Ilford North.
In the report, explosives consultants' findings show that the noise of a firework can be reduced by making them smaller and by using larger grains of powder, reducing the gas-pressure build up responsible for the bang.

February 21 2002, This is Local London, All fired up
Continuing letters about firework noise show clearly how much local people are angry about this anti-social menace.
Why not do something and join our campaign to have the noise level of fireworks restricted to 110 decibels, and their use banned after midnight, by writing to Melanie Johnson, House of Commons, London SWA OAA.
The more people voice their views, the quicker the problem will be dealt with.
Peter Flower, Chair Kingston Peoples, Alliance Party, New Malden

February 21 2003, Ananova, Death toll rises in US nightclub disaster
The Rhode Island nightclub fire has now claimed at least 95 lives and injured over 180.
The death toll rose as firefighters searched through the charred shell of the single-storey wood building.
The '80s hard rock band Great White had just started playing when giant pyrotechnic sparklers on stage began shooting up and ignited the ceiling.
The entire club was engulfed in flames within three minutes, Fire Chief Charles Hall said.
Hall said the club recently passed a fire inspection, but did not have a licence for fireworks.
The building, which was at least 60 years old, was not required to have a sprinkler system because of its small size.
The fireworks were used without permission from the club, said Kathleen Hagerty, a lawyer representing club owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian.
"No permission was ever requested by the band or its agents to use pyrotechnics at The Station, and no permission was ever given," she said.
The band's singer, Jack Russell, said the manager checked with the club before the show and the use of fireworks was approved.
Russell said a guitarist with the band was among the missing.

February 21 2003, icSolihull, At least 54 dead in nightclub blaze
The death toll in a US nightclub blaze that started when a rock band lit fireworks continued to climb today as firefighters discovered charred bodies among the rubble.
At least 54 people were killed and 150 injured when the Rhode Island club erupted into flames during a pyrotechnics display at a heavy metal rock concert.
It was the second fatal US nightclub blaze this week.
The fire broke out across the ceiling above the band, and quickly spread over the crowd, filling the building with thick, black smoke. The entire club was consumed by flames within three minutes, said West Warwick Fire Chief Charles Hall.
He said the club had recently passed a fire inspection, but didn't have a permit for pyrotechnics. There was no sprinkler system.
Most of the bodies were found near the front exit, some of them burned and others dead from smoke inhalation, Hall said. He said some appeared to have been trampled in the rush to escape.
"They tried to go out the same way they came in. That was the problem," Hall said. "They didn't use the other three fire exits."
The blaze broke out at about 11 p.m. (0400 GMT) during the first song of a Great White concert at The Station in West Warwick, about 15 miles from Providence, the capital of the smallest state in the US.
A fireworks display that was part of the show apparently ignited the ceiling and sound proofing behind the stage, and flames quickly engulfed the club.
"All of a sudden I felt a lot of heat," said Jack Russell, the band's lead singer. "I see the foam's on fire. The next thing you know the whole place is in flames."
He said he started dousing the fire with a water bottle but couldn't put it out, then all the lights went out.
"I just couldn't believe how fast it went up," he said.
Hours later, only a blackened shell of the one-story building was left.
It was the second deadly US club disaster in four days. Twenty one people were killed and more than 50 injured during a stampede in a Chicago nightclub that began when a security guard used pepper spray to break up a fight.
In Rhode Island, more than 160 people were taken to hospitals, said West Warwick Town Manager Wolfgang Bauer. Firefighters worked through the morning to pull charred bodies from the building as onlookers watched - worried about missing friends.
"They were completely burned. They had pieces of flesh falling off them," said Michelle Craine of West Warwick, who was waiting to hear about a missing friend. "It was the worst thing I've ever seen."
Chaos erupted moments after the fire started. Witnesses said dozens of people dashed toward the door, and some of those who escaped were later seen staggering into a triage centre. Rescuers carried dozens of people on stretchers.
Hundreds of firefighters and police from across the region and dozens of ambulances were on the scene. Rescuers were pulling badly injured victims from the fire as ladder trucks poured water over the flaming skeleton of the building.
"It was calm at first, everyone thought it was part of the act," said John DiMeo, who was sitting at the bar near the front door when the fire started. "It happened so fast."
Singer Russell said he checked with the club's manager before the show and the band's use of pyrotechnics was approved. He said he felt the heat of the flames while on stage.
"This place went up like a Fourth of July," he said.
The club has passed a fire code compliance inspection Dec. 31 in order to get their drinks licence renewed, Hall said. He said no sprinkler system was required because of the building's size, but a licence would have been required for the pyrotechnics.
The allowable capacity for the show was 300, but Hall said there were fewer people than that inside.
Great White is a heavy metal band whose hits include Once Bitten, Twice Shy and Rock Me. The band emerged in the Los Angeles metal scene of the late 1980s, selling a six million albums and earning a Grammy nomination in 1990.

February 21 2003, This is Kent, CAMPAIGN AGAINST BIG BANG FIREWORKS
Bonfire Nights in Edenbridge and Crockham Hill may never be the same again because of a national campaign which aims to take the bang out of big fireworks by making them quieter. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is urging people across the UK to write to their MPs to support a bill in parliament which, if it became law, would limit the volume of fireworks on sale to the public to 95 decibels.
According to the animal welfare charity this noise level limit is still expected to allow people to enjoy fireworks while minimising distress to pets.
RSPCA chief veterinary officer Chris Laurence said: "As fireworks are used more and more the RSPCA believes urgent measures must be taken to stop distress and injury to animals. "There is a voluntary ban on the fireworks industry selling items louder than 120 decibels. "But suffering to animals would be reduced if these fireworks were sold only to professionals for public displays organised according to strict guidelines," he added.
Bishop of Edenbridge Bonfire Society Nigel Faulkner agreed with the proposals and said the loud fireworks the society uses are tightly controlled and operated by a specialist pyrotechnics company.
He said: "For £5 you can have a superb night's entertainment at an organised event like Edenbridge Bonfire Night without harming any animals.
"In fact I have had the same problem with noise affecting my dogs at home," he added.
The RSPCA launched its Quiet Please Campaign on Thursday last week, announcing that in one year vets in England and Wales treated 4,825 animals with fireworks-related injuries, with 16 of those subsequently having to be put down.
The Control of Fireworks Bill will have its second reading in parliament on Friday.
For more information visit the website www.rspca.org.uk

February 21 2003, This is Local London, Firework issue
Residents are being urged to lobby their local MP to vote in favour of a new bill restricting the sale and use of fireworks. The bill, backed by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, will be heard on February 28. Call 0118 983 8380 or email alison.wade@gdba.org.uk.

February 20 2003, icCoventry, Fireworks crackdown welcomed
People in Coventry have welcomed a government ban on fireworks late at night but have urged the city council to push for more restrictions.
A national ban between 11pm and 7am daily could be in place by November 5 this year as part of a crack-down on noisy and dangerous fireworks.
A new private member's bill would also ban the sale of powerful fireworks to the public and local authorities could refuse or revoke licences to shopkeepers selling illegally.
It follows a Coventry City Council campaign to get a bylaw to outlaw late-night fireworks and a petition from city people.
But Karen Paterson, aged 30, who runs Paterson's Newsagent with husband John, in Daventry Road, Cheylesmore, said licences should be introduced for anyone wishing to buy fireworks.
She said: "I think people are generally happy with what is being proposed and our customers have welcomed it. But I think they should introduce a similar scheme to one in Ireland where people have to have a licence to buy fireworks." Mrs Paterson said the shop had sold fireworks for the past two years - but did not intend to do so this year because of problems with youngsters.
Phil James, aged 50, station commander at Coventry's Radford Road fire station, said parents and families also needed to do their bit. He said: "The latest news is a welcome change in the legislation but we are still left with the issue of anti-social behaviour."
Cllr John McNicholas (Lab, Lower Stoke) did not believe fireworks could be banned altogether. "We will add to petitions that city people would like an outright ban but acknowledge the best way forward is to control category 3 and major fireworks and their sale."

February 20 2003, This is Cheshire, Fireworks put Lassie in a lather
A BLIND man whose guide dog was turned into "quivering wreck" by the horrendous boom of bangers and air bombs is backing proposed new laws restricting sales of fireworks.  Robert Hinde has been loyally served for the past three years by four-year-old Lassie, allowing him to get out and about in the Laffak community where he lives.
But during the winter the barrage of noise from firework air bombs, has repeatedly pushed the Golden Labrador into a frenzy of panic. On several occasions, she has been taken to the vet and sedated.
Robert, 64, said: "Sometimes it is so bad she is turned into a quivering wreck. In the run up to Christmas she was petrified when going of the house, and she had to be sedated. And of course, when she is out of action so am I - it really restricts what I can do."
Townsfolk have already demonstrated their disgust at the escalating firework problem when a 4,000-name petition was handed to St Helens North MP, Dave Watts. Now, Robert is urging the public to lobby the town's MPs ahead of a second reading of a Private Members Bill in the House of Commons on February 28. The Bill aims to restrict the noise levels, sale and use of fireworks - but needs 100 MPs to vote in favour of it.
"The firework season is getting longer and longer each year...I want the public to write to our MPs to get them to vote for this Bill."
His claims were echoed by the RSPCA and The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which has mounted a £50,000 name petition calling for fireworks to be regulated.
"Guide Dogs has been overwhelmed with support for this campaign - ranging from pet owners and elderly people to parents with young families." said Robin Hutchinson, from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
Anyone wishing for more information about the Bill or wanting to contact their MP can get in touch with Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on 0118 983 8242 or email alison.wade@gdba.org.uk

February 19 2003, Evening Chronicle, Quiet please, says RSPCA
Loud fireworks should be banned, says a new report from Britain's leading animal charity.
The RSPCA is calling on the Government to set a maximum noise level for fireworks available to the public.
They say their Quiet Please report reveals that, contrary to guidance from experts in the firework industry, it is possible to control noise levels and minimise distress to pets.
The call coincides with the publication of MP Bill Tynan's Control of Fireworks Bill, which will receive its second reading on February 28.
Chris Laurence, the RSPCA's chief veterinary officer, said: "As fireworks are used more and more, the RSPCA believes measures must be taken to stop distress and injury to animals."
Trials carried out showed that some fireworks reached more than 100dB, equivalent to noise made by a road drill or nightclub.
The charity also wants shops selling fireworks to be licensed.

February 19 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
OK Anthony you keep saying after 11pm the people should be done by the police instead of them being banned but answer this how can you find the people who are letting them off after 11pm? By the time you have phoned the police they are gone so then what do you do?
S. Manchester

February 19 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I have had conformation from Melanie Johnson that a sales ban to the public is highly unlikely given the fears a lot of people have over illegal black market sales/people making their own fireworks/illegal importation/floods of cheap nasty dangerous fireworks entering the country etc, but there may be tighter controls on sales/a cut off point off 11pm for lighting/noise levels of fireworks reduced to 120dB/importation and production quieter low noise fireworks for sales encouraged etc. I agree highly with these controls and do not agree with a total sales ban
A. Accrington, Lancashire

February 19 2003, The Forres Gazette, Bill aims to target fireworks misery
The drive to stamp out the menace of fireworks misuse has taken a significant step forward.
The Scottish Executive has been working closely with the UK Government in London on this issue, and at the end of last week Mr Andy Kerr, Minister for Finance and Public Services, welcomed UK Government support for the provisions of a new Private Member's Bill that will provide a crack-down on the use and abuse of fireworks.
The Westminster Government is supporting proposals to control the sale of fireworks, and allow local authorities to refuse and revoke licenses to retailers. It will also include provisions to reduce accidents, noise and nuisance.
Last November, a young Forres mother called for the introduction of stricter regulations after getting fed up with fireworks being set off at all hours of the day and night, weeks before and after Guy Fawkes Night.
She said both her young son and her pet dog were very frightened by the noise, and at the time she called for fireworks to have an identifying barcode, so that every person buying them could be held accountable, and also said they should be sold only to people organising big displays.
Speaking after the first reading of the Bill, Mr Kerr said: "The Executive has made it clear for some time that it is committed to stamping out the injuries and upset which can he caused to families and pets by the irresponsible use of fireworks. "Fireworks can enhance special occasions for people across our communities to enjoy, but far too often it leads to grief and misery.
"The Bill includes provisions to:
Ban the use of fireworks during anti-social hours;
Make the noisiest fireworks illegal;
Restrict the year-round sale of fireworks;
Impose stricter rules on the training of those who give professional displays."

February 18 2003, icCoventry, Firework ban is a victory
The Government is set to ban fireworks from being let off late at night following complaints from thousands of Coventry people.
A national ban between 11pm and 7am could be in place for bonfire night this year as part of a crackdown on noisy and dangerous fireworks.
It follows a request by Coventry City Council for it to be able to allowed to bring in its own bylaw. The government has turned that down - but has promised Coventry's idea will be brought in all over the UK.
The city council believes it was its lobbying, and the complaints by neighbours who had had enough of being kept awake in the early hours for weeks around November 5, that forced the government to take a hard-line stance.
Cllr John McNicholas, who led Coventry's fireworks clampdown, said he was confident a new law would be up and running by November 5.
He said: "We acknowledged in Coventry that it was a problem but it wasn't just our problem.
"Other areas had been trying to get something done but I believe we were the first to approach the government to develop a bylaw - it's something to be proud of."
It would include a ban on letting off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on New Year's Eve, and a total ban on the sale of powerful fireworks to the public.
The new Private Member's Bill, which the government has indicated will become law, will also allow local authorities to refuse and revoke licences to shopkeepers who sell fireworks illegally.

February 18 2003, icCoventry, Firework curfew victory
The Government is set to ban fireworks from being let off late at night - after complaints from thousands of Coventry and Warwickshire people.
The news was announced yesterday by the government, which said it would back a private members bill on February 28 calling for a year-wide ban on the use of fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on Bonfire Night and New Year's Eve.
Campaigners believe intense lobbying, particularly from residents in and around Rugby and Coventry, has forced the government to take a hard-line stance. Villagers in Wolston have been among those campaigning for a crackdown.
Jennifer Wright, of Dyers Lane, Wolston, said: "We do not want to spoil children's fun but these things are going off during the summer.
"We don't mind if we're told there's going to be fireworks so we can prepare for it, but it's just the unexpectedness of it. "We've got dogs, sheep and cows who all get scared. It's also not fair on children and the elderly."
Rugby MP Andy King is among those supporting calls for extra restrictions.
"Tighter measures will protect people's safety and peace of mind," he said.
The private member's bill, which was introduced by Bill Tynan, MP for Hamilton South, is to get its second reading in the House of Commons on February 28.
If it becomes law it will also allow local authorities to refuse and revoke licences to shopkeepers who sell fireworks illegally.

February 18 2003, icCoventry, Fireworks sent my dog mad
Father of two, Rowland Howkins still bears the scars after being attacked by his own dog when it was startled by children letting off fireworks.
Mr Howkins, 49, needed hospital treatment, when his German Shepherd attacked him in a city park.
He is among the Coventry people welcoming the all-year round fireworks ban.
Mr Howkins, who lives in Willenhall, Coventry, was walking his dog Mint on Bonfire Night when a firework went off near the normally placid pet.
Mr Howkins, a former Peugeot worker, said: "One minute he went from a placid dog to wanting to rip my arm off.
"I have still got scars on my arm from what happened, little bruises that haven't gone away, and I'm still wary of the dog. "It's good that something is being done, but really fireworks should be banned and only used at organised demonstrations, by people with professional training."
Jane Watts, aged 31, of the Park Paling, Cheylesmore, Coventry, has already collected a petition of more then 400 signatures from pet-owners demanding something is done.
Coventry MP Jim Cunningham was planning to present the petition to Parliament, alongside a signatures from 5,000 people collected by the city council.
Mrs Watts, a receptionist at The Veterinary Centre on Daventry Road, Cheylesmore, said: "I have seen animals who have died of shock because of fireworks and others burnt by fireworks with kids playing pranks. "At the moment fireworks don't stop from November until the New Year - if this new law comes in it is very good news, and should stop a lot of cruelty to animals."
Eric Stevens, 69, of Charlewood Close, Whitmore Park, Coventry, wrote to the Evening Telegraph last year with concerns about fireworks. The retired tool maker said: "I fear it might be difficult to enforce. If someone is letting off a firework when they shouldn't, who do you tell, and will something be done? "It's on the right lines and I think it will improve the situation but unruly people may be tempted to flout the rules anyway."
Vet Gordon Bush, aged 56, from Bush Veterinary Centre, Friars Road, Coventry, said he hoped action would reduce the level of noise - the most common problem for animals. He said: "I would hope that part of it would be a limit on volume and noise, and a limit on the people using fireworks so they are used just at organised displays."
Evening Telegraph reader Wal Pashley, aged 74, of Barnfield Avenue, Allesley, said: "There seems to be fireworks for all occasions. "There should be legislation curbing the use of fireworks in the city."

February 17 2003, icHuddersfield, Clampdown on firework sales
SHOPKEEPERS will find it harder to get away with selling fireworks to under-age children this autumn after a crackdown by the West Yorkshire Fire Service.
Traders will have to sign a document accepting their legal responsibilities towards under-age children, following a visit by firefighters in the run-up to Bonfire Night.
Louise Morgan, a spokeswoman for the fire service, said: "This will make it easier to prosecute shopkeepers if they sell fireworks to minors, by making them aware of their actions."
The Kirklees area was one of the worst offenders last year when it came to selling fireworks to under-age children.
Test buys by trading standards revealed a number of shops willing to sell to children.
The new receipt scheme will take place when fireworks go on sale this year.
The fire service piloted the scheme in Hunslet, Leeds, in 2001, when they teamed up with trading standards.
In the past, shopkeepers who sold fireworks to young people denied knowing the conditions of their retailing licence.
This made it difficult to prosecute people who sold fireworks to under-age children.
Firefighters visit shops each year, to ensure they have appropriate storage areas, after traders apply for a licence to sell fireworks.
David Monks, the brigade's head of fire safety, said launching the scheme county-wide would involve no extra cost.

February 17 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I think the total sale of fireworks to the general public should be banned. Also loud fireworks at displays should be reduced as these shows are meant to give mainly a visual effect. The displays should only be held in open areas, away from waste and parkland due to the fear and injuries they can cause to local wildlife.
D. Manchester

February 17 2003, This is Wiltshire, Move to restrict fireworks sales
NEW laws tightening up on the supply and use of fireworks have been welcomed in Swindon.
The Government is backing a campaign by backbench Labour MP Bill Tynan to restrict sales to a short period around Bonfire Night, on November 5.
It will mean shops will only be able to sell a minimum quantity of fireworks  perhaps £10 worth  to stop youngsters buying the odd banger or rocket.
Michael Wills, MP for North Swindon, has been lobbying to tighten the fireworks laws.
He said: "I will monitor the effects of this closely on behalf of my constituents, but welcome the announcement as a step in the right direction. I congratulate Bill Tynan on his work."
The Fireworks Bill, to be debated by MPs on February 28, would also:
Give local authorities powers to ban irresponsible shopkeepers from selling them;
Ban their use from 11pm to 7am;
Make the noisiest fireworks illegal or allow them only in organised displays;
Impose stricter rules on the training of those who give professional displays.
Mr Tynan hopes his Bill will reverse the trend towards year-round firework displays and greater misery for residents, pets and wild animals.
Anyone convicted of breaking the new laws could be jailed for up to six months and face a £5,000 fine.
Robert Taylour, group leader of public protection at Swindon Council, said: "It is important that people are protected from unsafe fireworks and they are of a good standard of safety."
Shopkeepers could still apply for a more expensive licence to allow fireworks to be sold for religious festivals such as Diwali, the Chinese New Year and weddings.

February 15 2003, East Anglian Daily Times, Animal groups back fireworks ban call
ANIMAL lovers in Essex have backed an RSPCA call to ban loud fireworks being available to the general public.
A report by the animal charity, called 'Quiet Please', concludes by saying fireworks which make a noise louder than 95 decibels should be outlawed because of the distress they can cause to animals.
The move comes after the publication of a parliamentary bill to regulate the public use of fireworks, which is to receive its second reading later this month.
Yesterday Rosie Catford, who runs the Wildlives Animal Rescue Centre in Thorrington, said she strongly supported the RSPCA's call. "In years gone by you knew there would be fireworks going off around November 5, but nowadays you hear them all year round. "Animals here become a nightmare when fireworks are going off. They go into trauma mode. "With dogs you can try and muffle it but we have got deer and foxes. They get very distressed. They go berserk with the bangs."
She added that she had encountered a number of firework-related injuries.
"It's normally animals who have become distressed and run blind into fences," she said.
Meanwhile Kevin and Iris Jordan, from Harwich Road, Colchester, said their labrador-collie cross Ziggy was so traumatised by fireworks she had been prescribed Valium by the vet. "I personally like fireworks, but they should be on November 5 and that's it," said Iris yesterday. "You hear them constantly round here from mid-October to mid-December. Ziggy is absolutely traumatised by them. "She won't stop barking and she won't go out for a walk. It takes her weeks to recover afterwards."
The RSPCA report listed a number of injuries and deaths that had resulted directly from the noise of fireworks.
Rabbits can suffer fatal heart attacks if fireworks are set off in the near vicinity of their cages.
Some dogs vomit with fear and last year an 11-year old crossbreed was found with red raw feet after gnawing through a door and bolting to escape the sound of the bangs.
The animal charity wants to see fireworks that make noises louder than a road drill or a nightclub banned.
Chris Laurence, the RSPCA's chief veterinary officer, said: "As fireworks are used more and more the RSPCA believes urgent measures must be taken to stop distress and injury to animals. "There is a voluntary ban on the fireworks industry louder than 120dB but suffering to animals would be reduced if these fireworks were sold only to professionals for public displays which should be organised according to strict guidelines."
MP Bill Tynan's Control of Firework's Bill will receive its second hearing in Parliament on February 28.

February 15 2003, This is Bristol, Fireworks law could lead to silent nights
Proposed new laws to control the sale of fireworks have been welcomed by the police and anti-noise campaigners. Government ministers have backed a Parliamentary Private Members Bill to restrict the sale of fireworks and allow local authorities to refuse or revoke retailers' licences.
It also includes provisions aimed at reducing accidents and noise.
If the bill is passed the Home Secretary will have the power to reduce sales to a short period around the November 5 celebrations.
The quantity of bangers and rockets shops are able to sell would also be limited to a figure such as £10, in a bid to stop youngsters buying just a few pounds worth.
Melanie Johnson, the consumer affairs minister, said: "I know the misery fireworks can cause. This aims to put an end to neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour that's so often seen around bonfire night and beyond. I welcome it."
The Fireworks Bill, to be debated later this month, would, if passed, give local authorities powers to ban irresponsible shopkeepers from selling fireworks.
They would be able to ban the use of fireworks during anti-social hours and make the noisiest fireworks illegal or limit them to organised displays.
It would also bring in stricter training professional displays organisers and anyone convicted of breaking the laws could be jailed for up to six months and face a £5,000 fine.
Clevedon Councillor David Shopland (Ind) said: "I'm concerned with the haphazard and indiscriminate use of fireworks throughout the year. "I accept fireworks are going to be let off on November 5 and at New Year but after that people should have to inform the authorities and have a duty to inform their neighbours that they are going to use fireworks. "To reduce the amount of fireworks you are able to sell to a single person will not reduce the availability of them, which means that they can still be let off at any time of year. "A family of seven or seven friends could still go and buy the allocated number."
Inspector Chris Weigold from Avon and Somerset police was one of the officers on patrol in St Paul's in November last year when fireworks were fired at police. Insp Weigold said: "On behalf of the residents of St Paul's we are actively encouraging the Government to introduce this legislation which will reduce the threat to our communities posed by the inappropriate use of display fireworks on our streets."
The Fireworks Bill was put forward by Bill Tynan, MP for Hamilton South and will be debated in Parliament on February 28.

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
We wholeheartedly agree with your campaign for a total ban on the over-the-counter sale of fireworks, with their use restricted to licensed, organised events. Year after year, the fireworks start earlier and earlier, and are becoming a real nuisance; they leave our household pets in fear, they are anti-social and should be controlled.
K. T. Levenshulme, Manchester

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
Its about time the fireworks were banned, they go on sale to the public far too early and stay in the shops far too long after bonfire night. My animals are frightened by the noise they make, and do their best to find a hiding place. Have organised displays but not for use in general.
J. W. Radcliffe

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I am in full agreement with a total ban on fireworks What about the elderly who are terrified of them also some animals who are left to roam are the target for the stupid, mindless individuals who use them for their kicks There should be some other means to celebrate if they want to celebrate Why not donate there firework money to a charity. Who will give them a far Greater buzz than the fireworks and help everybody.
M. O. and B. O. Manchester

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
The Fireworks today are far to powerful. I think legislation to ban their sale is long over due.
J. Longsight, Manchester

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I wholeheartedly support the stay safe campaign. I agree that fireworks should be only be used at licensed and organised events - surely this is enough for anyone wanting to enjoy Bonfire Night? We have a nervous pet ourselves and would back any campaign that keeps animals safe and of course us humans.
S. T. Whitefield, Manchester

February 14 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
Having a very frightened pet ourselves, we would like to see the sale of over the counter fireworks banned for ever. We have to watch her suffering from September to January, and we also feel sorry for all the wild animals who have nowhere to hide. Keep up the good work
Mrs R M. New Moston

February 14 2003, Scottish Executive News Release, Crackdown on abuse of fireworks
A new Private Member's Bill at Westminster to crackdown on the use and abuse of fireworks was welcomed by the Executive today.
Bill Tynan's Bill on fireworks was published yesterday in the House of Commons and is expected to receive its Second Reading on February 28, 2003.
Minister for Finance and Public Services Andy Kerr welcomed UK Government support for the provisions of the Bill which will also include provisions to reduce accidents, noise and nuisance.
Mr Kerr said, "The Executive has made it clear for some time that it is committed to stamping out the injuries and upset which can be caused to families and pets by the irresponsible use of fireworks. Fireworks can enhance special occasions for people across our communities to enjoy but far too often it leads to grief and misery.
"This new Bill, which the UK Government is supporting, will provide a raft of new powers to control firework use. "It aims to put an end to nuisance and misery caused around bonfire night and beyond - more than 80 victims in Scotland last year testifies to that - and I welcome it wholeheartedly.
"The Bill includes provisions to:
ban the use of fireworks during anti-social hours;
make the noisiest fireworks illegal;
restrict the year-round sale of fireworks; and
impose stricter rules on the training of those who give professional displays."
Bill Tynan's Private Member's Bill on fireworks was published yesterday, in the House of Commons, and is expected to receive its Second Reading on 28th February 2003. Copies are available at www.parliament.co.uk
The most recent figures show that around 1300 people are injured in the UK on Bonfire Night season each year with more than 80 in Scotland.
Information about the numbers and types of injuries caused by fireworks during the Bonfire Night firework season is collected from hospital Accident and Emergency Units in Scotland, England and Wales. View these at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/firestats.htm A voluntary ban on the sale of airbombs to the public came into force on 1st January 2003. The DTI will be consulting in due course on introducing regulations under the 1987 Consumer Protection Act to enforce the ban.

February 14 2003, This is Gwent, `Ban private fireworks to save our pets'
GWENT animal-lovers are backing a call by the RSPCA for loud fireworks to be banned for private use because they are turning our pets into nervous wrecks.
A report published yesterday found that dogs are running away from home, chewing through furniture and even ripping their claws off because of the anxiety caused by the noise of fireworks.
And a survey has shown that in the course of a year, 4,825 animals were treated for firework-related injuries or were prescribed with sedatives because they were so frightened. A further sixteen animals were put to sleep because of their injuries, and three were believed to be the victims of deliberate attacks.
Blackwood vet Hamish Cormie said: "I've been treating animals because of fireworks every year for the last 30 years. Dogs, rabbits, cats - it doesn't make a lot of difference. They all get frightened.
"And it's definitely got worse. The fireworks start at the end of September now, and they are louder - and the louder they are the more distress they cause.
"It is fairly rare for an animal to be directly injured in my experience because most people will keep them indoors, but that doesn't stop the noise getting in. I have many repeat patients, and come October owners ask for preparations to cover the whole of the next month at least."
A new Control of Fireworks Bill published yesterday and to be read in Parliament by the end of the month wants to regulate the public's use of fireworks.
Kate Jones, RSPCA manager for Wales, said: "As fireworks are used more and more the RSPCA believes urgent measures must be taken to stop distress and injury to animals. "There is a voluntary ban on the fireworks industry selling fireworks louder than 120 decibels but suffering to animals would be reduced if these fireworks were sold only to professionals for public displays."

February 14 2003, This is Lancashire, MPs to vote for firework reforms
Two Bolton MPs have backed plans for a new law to restrict the sale of fireworks.
They are among at least 100 MPs who will vote for a Private Members' Bill which aims to reduce the noise levels, sale and use of the explosives.
They hope it will stop the misery suffered by guide dogs, pets and their owners.
Bolton MPs David Crausby and Brian Iddon will be supporting Hamilton South MP Bill Tynan's Private Members' Bill by attending the Commons Chamber and voting in favour on February 28 when the bill has its second reading.
In order to pass this important hurdle at least 100 MPs must attend.
Robin Hutchinson, head of communications for Guide Dogs for the Blind, which is supporting the Bill, said: "It is important to stress that we are not talking about banning fireworks -- but striking a balance between not ruining people's fun, but not ruining people's lives either."
Paul Metcalf, who is the Guide Dogs for the Blind district team manager for Greater Manchester and is based in Bolton, agreed. He said fireworks disrupt dogs' lives every year.
The charity has been overwhelmed with support for this campaign. Nearly 50,000 names have been collected on a petition calling for fireworks to be regulated.
They are asking for people who feel strongly about this issue to write to their local MP and urge them to vote in favour of the bill.
If anyone would like further information about the Private Members Bill or how to contact their MP please email alison.wade@gdba.org.uk

February 14 2003, This is Leicestershire, Firework Campaign set for a sparkling victory
Leicester's campaign to end the fireworks nuisance looks set for victory after the Government backed new controls.
City council bosses are celebrating after the Government announced it would back a bill in Parliament. Last year, the council joined forces with the Mercury to launch the hard-hitting Bang! campaign to highlight the misery that misuse of fireworks brings to hundreds of people in the city.
A total of 311 people complained about fireworks nuisance over two months six times as many as the previous year.
Councillors urged the Government to back a private members' bill which calls for tighter controls on fireworks. They sent their file, with all 311 complaints plus letters published in the Mercury about the problem, to the Government to ask for restrictions on sales.
Now, Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson has announced that the Government will back the bill, which means it is almost certain to become law.
The draft legislation aims to limit the sale of fireworks and introduce an 11pm to 7am curfew on use.
Shops can apply for a general licence to sell fireworks around November 5, or apply for a £600 licence from the council to be able to sell fireworks all year.
There would be tougher licensing laws controlling the times of year when pyrotechnics can be sold, banning the sale of large noisy fireworks to the general public and ensuring shop workers and display organisers are properly trained. Anyone who breaks the rules could be fined up to £5,000.
MPs will have their first chance to debate the bill on February 28, and it stands a good chance of becoming law in time for Bonfire Night.
Ms Johnson said: "It aims to put an end to neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour that is so often seen around Bonfire Night and beyond, and I welcome it wholeheartedly."
Leicester City Council's regulatory services director, Adrian Russell, said: "We would strongly support these proposals and we are encouraged that the Government is responding so positively. We are pleased they are proposing to allow local authorities to refuse and revoke licences to retailers."
Simon Applebee, of the Fireworks Ltd shop, in Welford Road, said: "These regulations are good news. We only sell to people who are old enough and responsible enough to use fireworks. We do push safety and we have a reputation to protect."
John Birks, of Evesham Road, West End, said: "We've had lots of problems with fireworks round here they start too early and go on for too long and it's stressful for pets. "These rules sound good provided that the people responsible for the nuisance are caught."
RSPCA chief vet Chris Laurence said: "It is the noise which is the key issue. It frightens animals."

February 14 2003, This is Scunthorpe, A BID TO CURB FIREWORK ABUSE
The nuisance of all-year-round firework abuse could come to an end in time for Bonfire Night after the Government backed new legislation to control firework sales.
Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson has given her official support to a private member's Bill published yesterday and now making its way through Parliament . The draft legislation, which aims to limit the sale of fireworks and introduce an 11pm curfew on use, will face its first parliamentary hurdle with a full debate on February 28.
Cleethorpes MP Shona McIsaac, whose constituency covers Barton, is a co-sponsor of the bill and said she had given it her support because of thousands of complaints about fireworks from her constituents.
Five years ago, she said, the biggest issue about fireworks was safety. But the debate has now changed because of the vast increase of nuisance caused by them.
Ms McIsaac said: "In recent years the public has become increasingly annoyed about the nuisance of fireworks, whether loutish behaviour, air bombs or people blowing up litter bins or postboxes.
"A lot of fireworks are now set off way before and after November 5 and at all hours of the day and night."
The proposals reflect mounting calls from politicians for a crackdown.
It also stands a good chance of becoming law in time for Guy Fawkes Night this year after being allocated the third largest amount of Commons time for a backbench Bill and obtaining Government support.
Ms Johnson said: "This new Bill, which the Government is supporting, will provide a raft of powers to control the misuse of fireworks.
"It aims to put an end to neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour that is so often seen around bonfire night and beyond, and I welcome it wholeheartedly."
Scottish MP Bill Tynan is behind the Bill but said there was cross-party support for such a measure.
He added: "Fireworks are fantastic fun but if you listen to the stories and look at the desire of a lot of people to ban fireworks completely, this helps bridge the gap.
"Under certain conditions we should be able to enjoy fireworks at the appropriate time without the horrific effects we face at the present time.
"It's trying to change the culture of fireworks."
Matt Grainger, of Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, said fireworks cost his organisation up to £200,000 every year with hundreds of dogs needing sedation and several having to be retired early.
"The effects on the owners, as well as losing a guide dog unexpectedly, leaves them without the mobility they have come to rely on. It leaves them effectively stranded and their independence diminished."
Chief vet at the RSPCA, Chris Laurence added: "The noise is the key issue."

February 13 2003, DTI Press Release, GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT NEW BILL TO CRACK DOWN ON THE MENACE OF FIREWORKS MISUSE
A crackdown on the menace of fireworks misuse will be brought into force thanks to the provisions of a new Bill, which has won the backing of Consumer Minister Melanie Johnson today.
The new Private Member's Bill proposes to control the sale of fireworks, and allow local authorities to refuse and revoke licenses to retailers. It also includes provisions to reduce accidents, noise and nuisance.
Melanie Johnson said: "I know the misery that fireworks can cause. There is too much noise, with fireworks being let off late into the night and lasting for far too long beyond the traditional fireworks season.
"A few months ago I announced new measures to tackle the number of fireworks injuries, including a ban on air bombs that cause up to half of all firework accidents in the street.
"This new Bill, which the Government is supporting, will provide a raft of new powers to control the misuse of fireworks.
"It aims to put an end to neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour that is so often seen around bonfire night and beyond, and I welcome it wholeheartedly."
The Bill includes provisions to:
- ban the use of fireworks during anti-social hours;
- make the noisiest fireworks illegal;
- restrict the year-round sale of fireworks; and
- impose stricter rules on the training of those who give professional displays.

February 13 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I wholeheartedly back the Stay Safe campaign. Banning over-the-counter sales of fireworks is a good start. However, I can't think of how the sale of "under-the-counter" fireworks can be policed or monitored. For instance, I know shops are not openly selling fireworks at this moment in time but I have heard fireworks going off on two consecutive nights this week. I'm not writing as a 90 year old fuddy-duddy who believes children should be seen and not heard, but as a 36 year old who still enjoys having fun (!) and who believes the whole firework, sorry, dangerous explosives, situation has gotten completely out of hand
T. B. Blackley, Manchester

February 13 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I think that fireworks should only be sold to people who have a special licence and these licences should be granted by their local council. Increasingly shops are opening around bonfire night selling fireworks exclusively and I doubt these particular shop keepers are that bothered who they are selling to. Fireworks are more easily available than ever and are sold earlier and earlier each year. I think it might even be appropriate to implement a total ban bearing in mind the present political climate and threat of terrorism.
C. H. Manchester

February 12 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
I wholeheartedly agree with your campaign to outlaw Firework sales. I am sick and tired of enduring the constant barrage of noise for the month or so surrounding Bonfire night, irresponsible people setting them off in the middle of the night and causing every burglar and car alarm to go off. I am not a killjoy but they are not just limited to Bonfire night but appear at all times of the year. On several occasions I have seen people throwing fireworks into busy traffic, last year my partner was pursued by two 'adults' on a moped who were throwing bangers at her in her car and other road users and pedestrians. My partner is also a Doctor and always returns home full of tales of horrific injuries. Fireworks these days, especially the Chinese ones, are so much more powerful that they used to be. If the government nanny state can impose laws controlling consumption of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana etc then surely in these times of terrorist threats they should act accordingly to stamp out what are effectively small bombs. I applaud your efforts in this matter.
T. D. Chorlton

February 12 2003, This is the North East, Firework destroys phone box
A TELEPHONE kiosk in a County Durham village was completely destroyed by a firework in an act of vandalism.  Several people contacted the emergency services after hearing a loud explosion in West Cornforth at about 10.30pm on Monday.  The noise was so loud that some villagers thought a bomb had gone off.
But the source of the explosion turned out to be at a telephone kiosk in Stobb Cross Road, causing debris and glass to be scattered over 40 feet.  A small fire started, but was out before firefighters arrived at the scene.
Police crime scene investigators closed the road while they took samples, swabs and what is believed to be the remains of a firework.
Npower were called to make the area safe as several wires had become exposed in the blast.  A police spokesman said: "Fireworks are a problem not just around Bonfire Night, but for weeks before and afterwards. We had several calls from members of the public wondering what had happened, but fortunately nobody was hurt." A spokesman for BT said the remains of the telephone had been recovered and would eventually be replaced.

February 11 2003, Manchester Online, Stay Safe Campaign
If a ban was imposed on firework sales to the public, how would you police and put a stop to the following? The illegal acquisition and sales of dangerous and lethal Category 4 professional display fireworks by gangs who flog to the public from vans on housing estates in the bigger towns and cities? An illegal black market for fireworks? Container shipments of fireworks coming into this country destined for foreign markets going underground that may not comply with BS7114 getting into the wrong hands? People buying powerful and possibly lethal fireworks from Europe? People buying over the internet? People with no regard to whom they sell selling fireworks from houses? People making illegal and possibly deadly fireworks from household chemicals and substances with tragic consequences while they are being made or used to themselves or other people? These questions need answering because if a ban is brought in and these problems not dealt with beforehand, you will have a situation that you cannot and will not be able to control.
A. Accrington, Lancashire

February 11 2003, This is Local London, Shopkeepers in hot water over illegal sales to kids
A REPORT has toasted the success of a new campaign aimed at stamping out crime and disorder among youths during the firework season.
The report into the alcohol, fireworks, solvents and knives campaign reveals that police and trading standards officers are cracking down on shopkeepers selling goods to those under age in the borough.
Trading Standard officers investigated 101 shops believed to be selling fireworks, knives, alcohol and solvents illegally whilst on patrol last October and November.
Of those, 26 shops were caught mis-selling to youths and up to eight shops now face prosecution. The rest have received official warnings.
As part of the campaign, officers in joint partnership with the police, seized up to 70kg of fireworks after attending around 50 incidents of firework misuse.
Enfield Council and police now hope to build on their success and repeat the campaign this year.
Council leader Mike Rye said: "We made a concerted effort during the last firework season to deal with the comparatively easy access some children have to fireworks, alcohol, solvents and knives.
"The Enfield Citizens' Panel stated that targeting young people to divert them from crime and disorder is important. Eighty nine per cent of those surveyed said it was a high priority.
"This campaign is just one of the ways we are tackling the problem."
A Private Members Bill to restrict noise levels, sale and use of fireworks put forward by MP Bill Tynan, receives its second reading in the House of Commons on February 28.

February 7 2003, This is Essex, Braintree Supermarket boosts security against teenage threat
Staff at a Braintree supermarket, terrorised by teenage troublemakers, are increasing their security budget by 120 per cent to employ two guards.
Tesco in Market Square will be spending £1200 per month to protect staff and customers from groups of youths congregating outside the store.
Staff and customers have been plagued by youths throwing paint on cars, slashing tyres as well as treating people to verbal and physical abuse.
Last year a car parking attendant had a firework thrown into his kiosk, and fireworks have been thrown into the store.
The store is set to recruit the guards in the next three weeks as an ongoing presence on the store's two entrances to prevent thefts, underage sales and harassment of staff and customers.
The announcement to increase security comes after a 16-year-old girl was assaulted by a group of 20-30 girls near the store in Market Square last Wednesday.
Craig Fryer, Manager of Tesco Market Square, said: "In 14 months crime has become an issue, it was seen as a low risk store, but has now moved to being a high risk store.
"We are increasing our budget for next year to prevent crime and to give customers peace of mind."
Local traders have also complained about youths causing trouble and lack of police presence in the area.
P.C. Steve Turner said police are aware of youths gathering in the town centre and said they regularly speak to them.   He added that members of the public should contact police if they see youths committing offences giving cause for concern.

February 6 2003, icCoventry, Crack down on fireworks menace
People who live in a village between Coventry and Rugby who are sick of being terrorised by fireworks are campaigning for a crackdown on their sale.
The villagers, led by Rugby borough councillor Laurie Wright, are calling for Rugby and Kenilworth Labour MP Andy King to support a private member's bill, later this month, which would limit the noise and size of fireworks and the times they can be set off.
They say fireworks are becoming an all-year problem.
The latest incident to anger families came on Saturday night when a volley of deafening explosions were set off just outside the village at around 10pm, causing distress to many residents.
Their campaign follows a bid by Coventry Council to get the government to let it bring in a by-law to tackle the fireworks menace.
This would restrict the hours during which people can set off fireworks and the bid follows months of complaints by residents in Coventry about noisy fireworks being let off at all hours.
Cllr Wright said he had been inundated with complaints from families who had heard fireworks going off in the area.
He backed their stance and said: "This can be very frightening, especially for elderly people and animals. The longer the situation is allowed to continue the greater the chances are of someone actually being injured.
"It would appear that fireworks can be bought at any time of the year now - we need more control," he added.
Villager John Clews, of Warwick Road, said the situation had got worse over the last few years.
"We were here when the Blitz was on and some nights it's just the same, with bangs going off all the time," he said.
Mr King confirmed he would support calls for extra fireworks restrictions, and added: "I don't wish to be a killjoy but there is no doubt that setting fireworks off can be very dangerous. Tighter measures will protect people's safety and peace of mind."
The bill, which was introduced by Bill Tynan, MP for Hamilton South, is set to get its second reading in the Commons on February 28.

February 5 2003, This is Leicestershire, BANG COULD GO NATIONWIDE
A campaign targeting the problems of fireworks misuse in Leicester has proved so popular it could be set to go nationwide.
Leicester City Council launched its Bang campaign last year after a soaring number of complaints from residents. Now the Leicester Mercury-backed initiative has been included in a guide highlighting good practice by local authorities in animal welfare work.
The guide is now being circulated among other councils around the country in the hope it will be adopted elsewhere.
Bang featured four posters which were distributed around Leicester and warned against the misuse of fireworks.
One featured the effects of fireworks on pets and pictured a cat along with the caption: "Bang go my nine lives".
The campaign ran from September to December, and coincided with Diwali and Bonfire Night celebrations.
The council increased noise nuisance patrols and carried out 28 sting operations in which they caught four shopkeepers selling fireworks to under-18s.
Joceline Tran, the RSPCA's senior local government adviser, said: "The guide covers many topical issues, such as firework misuse and sanctuaries which are all issues expected to be the subject of forthcoming legislation. Much of a local authority's work goes unnoticed by the public, so I'm delighted their work is being profiled."
Councillor Nigel Holden, Leicester City Council's environment spokesman, said: "We are very pleased to have won some national recognition for our campaign, which aimed to highlight the problems caused by fireworks.
"The city council and the RSPCA have played an important part in making the Government aware of how strongly people feel about fireworks.
"We are optimistic that this will help to bring about the changes to the law that we have been calling for."
Vet Richard Bell, from Bell, Brown and Bentley in London Road, said the fireworks season is a nightmare for pets and their owners. He said: "Campaigns like this have to be welcomed. Fireworks cause big problems for many animals. During bonfire and Diwali time we get a fair number of people coming in looking for something to calm their pets."
A Private Members' Bill controlling the use of fireworks is expected to be introduced to Parliament in the near future. As a result of the campaign Leicester City Council is calling on ministers to back a private members' bill that proposes to restrict the sale of fireworks to one month up to November 5; put limits on their noise and set an 11pm curfew for letting them off. The council says it will consider making its own bylaws if the bill is not made law.

February 4 2003, Ananova, 17 dead in Pakistan fireworks blast
At least 17 people have been killed in central Pakistan when fireworks caught fire and exploded as they were being loaded onto a truck.
Police in Sialkot, 60 miles north-west of Lahore, say two children from a nearby school are among the dead. Dozens of other people are wounded.
Many of the burning fireworks fell on the roof and in the courtyard of the school, starting a blaze.
Hospital officials in Sialkot say at least seven of the injured are in a critical condition. Rescue teams have rushed to the area.
Local police official Amanullah Khan says two containers of fireworks were being loaded for a delivery to Lahore when the fire started.
Lahore is a central marketplace for the sale of fireworks in Pakistan. The government has tried, unsuccessfully, to crack down on the trade.

February 4 2003, This is Cheshire, Guide dogs group wants help for firework ban
ANIMAL lovers in Warrington are being encouraged to write to MPs Helen Jones and Helen Southworth in support of a new campaign to end distress to pets caused by fireworks.
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is calling for new legislation to restrict and regulate the use of fireworks, and wants to encourage MPs to attend the House of Commons on Friday, February 28, for a private members bill on the topic.
Call 0118 9838242 or email alison.wade@gdba.org.uk for more details.

January 31 2003, This is Local London, Too many firework displays
I totally agree with the comments about banning home firework displays all year round.
They should only be used around the November 5. A week either side is OK but it now starts in October and goes on until mid-November.
I am fed up with having my dog trying to hide somewhere dark and being so upset, shivering and shaking.
We had a neighbour use fireworks tonight, they were so loud they set off the neighbouring car alarms and shook the windows. No notice of the party was given, a basic lack of courtesy I feel. It was for a children's' party, which is ridiculous in January, they could be heard a mile away.
Ban the bang' sign the petition local guide dogs are very upset and are afraid to take their owners out!
L. R.

January 31 2003, This is The Lake District, 'Tranquillity not fireworks' plea
FIREWORK protesters stepped up their campaign against noise and late night disruption this week with a series of high-profile signs on a busy Lake District road. Representatives of The Windermere Campaign for Firework Controls hope to clamp down on the number of loud displays exploding above Lake District skies each month which they say frighten pets and livestock and keep people awake. Ten signs nailed up on private land either side of the A591 urge people to say no to fireworks at their parties and weddings and include slogans such as "stop destroying the tranquillity of the Lake District".

January 30 2003, Bristol Evening Post, Fireworks under fire
Increased complaints about the indiscriminate and sometimes criminal use of fireworks may lead North Somerset Council to call for curbs on their sale and use.
The council has received many protests from animal owners and there have been several incidents where vandals have put fireworks in postboxes and cash machines, causing considerable damage.
There are also worries about the risk of injury from spent rockets falling out of the sky.
The issue is due to be discussed by North Somerset's environment and community select committee on Monday.
It is recommended that the executive should ask the Home Office to consider banning the general sale of fireworks designed for display purposes, including mortars and powerful rockets.
These are category three fireworks under British Standard BS7114 which has four classifications of fireworks ranging from those suitable for indoor use to pyrotechnics for professional use only and which are not sold to the public.
The council may also ask the Home Office to investigate restricting the sale of fireworks to the month of November. This would be in accordance with the Private Member's Bill being put forward in the House of Commons by Labour backbencher Bill Tynan. It is due to receive its second reading next month.
Mr Tynan's proposals also include reducing the noise level of fireworks, outlawing their use after 11pm and making it an offence to sell individual fireworks.
The fireworks crackdown has been welcomed by Jeremy Norton, of Nithsdale Road, Weston.
Last year, he collected more than 1,000 signatures for a petition calling for tighter restrictions on their use.
Mr Norton, who organised the petition on behalf of his seven-year-old ginger tom cat, Kipper, which is terrified by the noise of fireworks, said: "It would be absolutely marvellous if this becomes law."
Mr Norton's petition, which called for fireworks to be allowed only between 6 and 8pm on November 5 and from 11.45pm to 12.15am on New Year's Eve, was presented to Weston's Liberal Democrat MP, Brian Cotter, who passed it on to the government.
Meanwhile, Nailsea Town Council has received a request from a resident for fireworks to be banned on New Year's Eve altogether, and Clevedon Town Council has also been discussing the nuisance caused by the random use of fireworks.
Clevedon town and North Somerset district councillor David Shopland said: "The time has come to stop the indiscriminate use of fireworks.
"I believe all events other than on November 5 and New Year's Eve should require a licence and only responsible people should be issued with them."
Councillor Peter Crew, North Somerset's executive member for the environment, community and youth, said: "Officers and members have recorded a growing number of complaints about the use of fireworks.
"The complaints cite noise nuisance, possible fire hazards and threats to the well-being of pets and farm animals.
"There is also concern about the weight and speed of spent rockets falling to earth, together with vandalism on mailboxes and street furniture such as cash vending machines."

January 29 2003, Greenock Telegraph, Please support our fireworks campaign
ON behalf of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association I would like to appeal to your readers to support our fireworks campaign, which calls for an end to the disruption and distress caused to dogs and their owners by fireworks.
Every year, guide dogs and other working dogs are sedated, retrained, or in worst cases, retired after being traumatised by the irresponsible use of fireworks. This causes considerable upset and anxiety for both the guide dog and its owner. And with the lifetime cost of training, feeding, insuring and providing veterinary care running at £35,000 for each guide dog, the cost to the charity of retiring dogs part way through their working lives is enormous.
The issue also affects thousands of pets, as well as elderly people and families with young children.
However, there is now fresh hope of new legislation being introduced which would restrict and regulate the use of fireworks, and this is where I would like to further appeal to your readers for help.
On Friday 28 February, a Private Members Bill to restrict the noise levels, sale and use of fireworks, tabled by Bill Tynan MP, receives its second reading in the House of Commons. I would like to urge everyone who feels strongly about this issue to write to their local MP and encourage them to attend the House on the day and vote - without their support the bill may never become law.
If anyone would like further information about the Private Members Bill or how to contact their MP please phone 0118 983 8242 or 8380 or e-mail alison.wade@gdba.org.uk
Please support our campaign. We don't want to ruin people's fun, but we don't want people's lives ruined either.
GERALDINE PEACOCK, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

January 29 2003, icLiverpool, Your Letters
I HAVE lived in the Anfield area for seven years, and for six of them I estimate I have called the police once every month because of youths who live in my area who are throwing stones/fireworks/snowballs etc at my home and myself, climbing onto my garage roof and into my garden.
When I ask them not to do this I am given a mouthful of abuse and the situation gets worse.
I have spoken to a couple of their parents, one of whom accused me of picking on her children and refused to believe that any of her three sons would behave in that manner. The other parent called his son into the house and told him to "keep away" - but he does not.
I do not object to children playing. I love to hear children laughing and enjoying themselves - but not at the expense of someone else.
These children/teens are not playing, they are being destructive and nasty. All one side of my garage windows were smashed before Christmas while I was at work.
I read an article in the ECHO ( January 22) headlined "Help Beat
Yob Culture", which gave the impression that Merseyside police want to hear from members of the public who are experiencing this un-social behaviour - so I called my local police station. I was left feeling that I had been a nuisance and should not have bothered.
Name and address supplied

January 29 2003, Northants News, Letters - Please paws before you light those fireworks
HELLO, my name is Bruno and I'm a six-year-old Labrador. I asked my mum to write this for me and for all the other animals that are scared of fireworks.
Please, please, please can you do something to stop them from going off all the time? It really makes me feel bad. I start to shake, my heart pounds really fast, I can't breathe properly, I cry a lot and pace up and down all the time.
My mum and dad just don't know what to do for me. I don't know how much more I can take.
If it was for only one night a year it wouldn't be so bad, then I could have a tablet to keep me calm. But at the moment it would be I'd have to have them all the time.
I live on a holiday park and almost every weekend (and some weekdays) they have lots of fireworks, and they are so loud - I'm a nervous wreck.
Just behind where I live there is a boat club and when they have displays it's terrible and very frightening.
I'm begging you to help us all.
Remember remember the fifth of November. It doesn't mean anything any more, because it's all the year round. What should be said now is: "Forget, forget, think of a pet.
With woofs!
Bruno, Great Billing.

January 29 2003, This is Oxfordshire, Firework petition takes to the street
Wallingford councillors are taking to the streets on January 30 and January 31 in a bid to get a major review of Government rules on fireworks.
They are backing appeals by Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Dogs for the Disabled to limit the use of fireworks because they terrify animals.
The issue has also prompted considerable correspondence to the Oxford Mail letters page.
Councillors will urge shoppers to sign a petition calling for all firework displays to be controlled by licensed technicians, and for all firework sellers to be licensed according to strict safety criteria.
They also want restrictions on the times of year fireworks can be bought and times of day they can be set off.
Town council member Theresa Jordan said: "There were so many complaints and worries from the Wallingford area last year that these special dogs were terrified by the noise of fireworks. They went on too long before and after November 5 and something has to be done."
The petition will also be available in the town council offices in St Martin's Street.

January 28 2003, icHuddersfield, Clampdown on firework trade
FIREWORK sellers could face tough new restrictions. A Private Member's Bill has been proposed by Scottish MP Bill Tynan to clamp down on the illegal import and sale of rockets.
And it has the full backing of the British Fireworks Association, whose chairman John Woodhead lives in Kirkburton. Mr Woodhead hopes the proposals will protect reputable traders.
Last year alone, nine per cent of all fireworks were sold illegally.
Mr Woodhead said there should be better training in the use of fireworks. Import controls should be made more stringent. And the normal sale period should be restricted to around Bonfire Night and New Year. He warned: "Fireworks can finish up in all sorts of places - being sold from private houses, car boot sales, pubs and clubs - and that is causing problems." At the moment, sellers only need to register to deal in fireworks.

January 28 2003, This is Buckinghamshire, Still no legal control over period of firework sales
JOHN Johnson asked in Midweek's "Your Letters" of January 7, what is happening to the controls over the use of fireworks? I would like to respond on behalf of Buckinghamshire County Council.
Before a trader can sell fireworks he has to register with my council's trading standards service and his premises are liable for inspection to ensure safe storage and sale. All fireworks must comply with BS 7114 and only those garden or display fireworks that give a safe working distance of up to 25 metres can be sold to the public.
However, even these can be quite powerful and, in some cases, last several minutes.
Mr Johnson comments on the apparent increase in loudness. Whilst bangers were banned some years ago there does seem to be a trend toward incorporating loud bangs in other types of firework.
There are no legal controls over the sales period for fireworks. There was an industry understanding that sales are restricted to three weeks prior to November 5 and a few days thereafter. However, increasingly fireworks are available all year for New Year, birthday and other celebrations.
It is an offence to let fireworks off in the street, which is police matter. The law also restricts the age at which you can buy them to over 18s and this is rigorously enforced by trading standards through advice and test purchasing.
There are no controls over public or private displays other than public liability and nuisance. Anybody who organises a public event should give the highest priority to public safety, even if they are insured. Even a private display that ignores safety advice, such as safe distances, could result in negligence claims if someone is injured.
With regard to the nuisance, this is much the same as noise from neighbours. My understanding is that the local authority, in this case the district council, can only act if it is repeated. A "one off" event generally would not be classed as a nuisance. There are no time restrictions as to when fireworks must cease but again the individual circumstances would determine when a display becomes a nuisance.
Trading standards, the fire service and Department of Trade and Industry together run extensive safety campaigns, usually around November 5, aimed at public and private users. This advice is also issued to retailers for distribution to customers at point of sale.
Cllr Margaret Dewar, Cabinet Member, Community Services, Buckinghamshire County Council

January 28 2003, Yorkshire Today, Young brothers injured by firework throwers
TWO young brothers were in hospital with serious injuries last night after a firework thrown by an older boy exploded in their faces.
Jason Smith, nine, and his seven-year-old brother Thomas were under heavy sedation after suffering burns to their faces and hands at a children's playground.
Their father Dean Smith said: "It has been awful.
"It would be bad enough having one child in hospital, but to have two in at the same time is terrible."
Jason and Thomas were at the play area off Pepper Road, Hunslet, Leeds, at 5pm on Monday with an 11-year-old friend, when two older boys, aged about 12, asked if they could all play together.
When Jason and Thomas said no, one of the older boys produced a firework from his back pocket, lit it and threw it in their general direction. It landed near one of their coats and as they went to pick up the coat the firework exploded in their faces.
They managed to make their way to their nearby home in Rocheford Close, Hunslet. Mr Smith said last night there was panic when they arrived back.
"When they came in their faces were black. All you could smell was burnt hair and bits of burnt clothing," Mr Smith said.
He said his two younger children Bradley, five and eighteen-month-old Caine and his wife, Julie, all started crying. The boys were taken to St James's Hospital, Leeds, where their condition deteriorated and they were cared for in intensive care.
They boys suffered superficial burns, but it was believed that the trauma of the incident caused their condition to deteriorate.
Yesterday they were taken out of intensive care, but remained under heavy sedation. Their condition was described as "serious but stable", and they may require skin grafts.
Mr Smith, 30, said: "They have got tubes down their throat because all their face and throat has swollen up and is double in size."
He said their condition was improving, and if it continued it was hoped they would no longer need sedation.
Mr Smith last night urged anyone with any information to get in touch saying: "We want these lads caught."
He demanded to know how a boy had managed to get hold of a firework.
Yesterday Det Insp Mick McDermott of West Yorkshire Police said: "We are treating this as a serious assault on two innocent young boys."
He added: "This is a totally irresponsible act by what I believe will be youths that are local to the area."
The boys being sought were said to be white and aged 12 or 13. One was 5ft and skinny and wore a black woollen hat and beige Le Coq Sportif hooded top with blue on the sleeves.
The other, also skinny, had black hair and wore black track suit bottoms and blue padded jacket.
Anyone with information should contact Holbeck CID on 0113 241 4659.

January 27 2003, Evening Chronicle, Explosive device just misses keeper
Police have described how Shrewsbury town goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin had a narrow escape during yesterday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Chelsea. An explosive device was fired on to the pitch early in the first half of the match, which Chelsea won 4-0
The four-inch metal tube fell close to Dunbavin, and chief superintendent Peter Wright said the device could have caused "very serious injury or worse"
"Very early into the first half we heard two bangs which sounded like fireworks," he said.
"One of my officers retrieved this very jagged piece of metal, which fell very close to the Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin. "It landed a few feet to the left of the six-yard box and it is a wicked-looking piece of metal.
"It's about four inches long, just less than an inch in diameter - a kind of tube - and it has exploded.
"If that had exploded anywhere near the goalie, or indeed anywhere in a ground that is packed with 8,000 people in it, very serious injury or worse could have occurred."
It was reported that officers think the device was deliberately aimed at the pitch from outside the ground.
Chief superintendent Wright believes the device may have been home-made. "You don't get commercial fireworks, as far as I'm aware, with metal bodies and it's not even soft metal - I can't bend it or anything. "I'm not quite sure what it is - we will have to have it looked at by experts - but all I can guess at the moment is that it is home-made, or made with intent to injure somebody, or it is something that might have an industrial use. I've never seen anything like it."
Footnote later editions of same paper - Goalie Shock
Police today said a firework which landed within feet of Shrewsbury Town's goalkeeper 22 year old Ian Dunbavin during the FA Cup tie with Chelsea was not launched as an attack on the player. West Mercia Constabulary said the rocket was one of several let off outside Shrewsbury' Gay Meadow ground during last night's fourth round tie.

January 27 2003, Guardian Unlimited, Football News Police to investigate Gay Meadow missile
Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini could have been fatally injured by a missile fired on to the pitch during last night's FA Cup match at Shrewsbury, police said today.
A cylinder-shaped metal object landed inches from the Italian after 15 minutes of Chelsea's' 4-0 fourth-round win at Gay Meadow.
Police had originally thought the missile had landed near Shrewsbury goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin.
But chief superintendent Peter Wright, from West Mercia Constabulary, confirmed the object had almost struck Cudicini - and any contact could have ended his career, or even killed him.
He said: "The missile actually landed near the Chelsea goalkeeper, Carlo Cudicini, not Ian Dunbavin the Shrewsbury goalkeeper. We think it is important for Ian Dunbavin that this is made understood.
"Shrapnel off an object like that is capable of killing. The goalkeeper's career could have been finished on the spot," he added in the Shropshire Star.
He stressed that the firing of the weapon in a stadium filled with nearly 8,000 fans was an act of "sheer lunacy".
The device will now be tested by firearms and explosive experts.
The deputy chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Mick McGuire told the Press Association: "Clearly we are concerned by anything which jeopardises the safety of our members but it is difficult to see what more could have been done by the club or the police because the firework, or whatever it was, was set off outside the ground.
"Following the hooliganism in the game in the late 1970s and the 1980s there's been a massive change in emphasis to such an extent that families can come to games and feel comfortable.
"The last thing we want is for this sort of thing to rear its ugly head again. The police can protect everyone inside the ground but it becomes difficult to do anything when trouble occurs outside the ground while the game is going on."

January 27 2003, This is the North East, Hear All Sides Fireworks ban
Jim Ruck gets my full support for the campaign to ban fireworks.
I feel that fireworks should be confined to November 5 only, with an exception for special organised displays that are advertised in the Press.
All other private displays should be banned completely. They seem to last up to two weeks either side of the traditional firework night and are getting worse every year.
Dog and pet owners would be able to make reasonable arrangements for their pets' wellbeing, if they knew when and where the displays were to be held.
My wife and I used to dread November 5 approaching each year, as we had a dog that was so afraid of fireworks that she made herself ill every year and needed veterinary treatment for her nerves, even if the fireworks were let off up to a mile away. - Geoff Scott, Darlington.
A firework is an explosive which "loving" parents are quite happy for their children to buy and play with.
Why not just give them a stick of dynamite and have done?
They put a sparkler in their hands and let it burn at approaching 1,000 degrees.
They keep boxes of these explosives in their homes ready for the day.
We celebrate a terrorist (Guy Fawkes) on November 5 or any other date you care to mention (what does a Sunday lunchtime in the middle of January have to do with Guy Fawkes?).
I am not against people enjoying fireworks; I admit some are quite colourful, but please let common sense prevail and limit them to organised displays with qualified pyrotechnicians. - Name and address supplied.
The shopkeepers of Darlington could very easily impose their own ban on the sale of fireworks. But, as in the sale of alcohol to minors, profit is the name of the game.
The policing of anywhere but the town centre is almost non-existent. Let us have a total but voluntary ban on fireworks, except for one week before November 5. - T N, Darlington.

January 24 2003, icSolihull, Player's trial
A PROFESSIONAL footballer has denied a charge of harming a teenage girl from Castle Bromwich who was hit in the face by a firework.
Shrewsbury Town striker Luke Rodgers, 21, of Stechford Road, Hodge Hill, pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to 'unlawfully and maliciously by explosion of gunpowder' causing bodily injury to 16-year-old Sarah Morris, of Parkfield Road.
It is alleged Rodgers was responsible for the firework, which was let off outside the Spitfire pub in Castle Bromwich on October 10, hitting Sarah. It was said to have been fired towards her and two friends.
The firework stuck to her skin and caused severe burns to her face and upper chest, and as a result, she had to undergo emergency surgery and skin grafts.
Gary Bell, defending, said the firework involved was a rocket which travelled some distance before hitting Sarah, rather than a Roman candle, as had been said at the time of the incident.
The case was adjourned for trial and Rodgers was granted bail. Rodgers, leading scorer for the Shrews, is due to play in the biggest game of his career when they meet Chelsea in the FA Cup this weekend.

January 24 2003, Manchester Evening News, MPs back firework ban
A MANCHESTER Evening News campaign to ban over-the-counter sales of fireworks has won the backing of a huge number of MPs.
In the biggest survey of its kind, the M.E.N. wrote to every MP asking if they wanted a total ban, a partial ban or no change to the current law.
Almost nine out of 10 (86 per cent) of those who replied said they wanted some form of ban.
Of those, one in three (34 per cent) backed the M.E.N.'s call for a total ban, while just over half (52 per cent) wanted a partial ban.
Only one per cent of MPs opposed any tightening of the law.
A similar response came from the fire service and police. Not one fire chief was happy with the current laws, and almost 60 per cent favoured a total ban.
Greater Manchester's Chief Constable Michael Todd came out strongly in favour of a total ban.
Organised
And only two chief constables said they were happy with the law as it stands. Sadly, many who responded dodged the issue. The survey results come as the M.E.N. intensifies its campaign for tighter restrictions on the sale and use of fireworks.
The paper wants to see a total ban on the over-the-counter selling of fireworks, so that they are only sold to people running licensed, organised events.
The survey results were seized upon by Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin, who has long called for tighter restrictions on fireworks.
He said: "The situation regarding fireworks is becoming more and more serious and the M.E.N. campaign is helping focus people's minds and the minds of MPs on the issue of fireworks.
"We cannot allow communities to be disrupted by fireworks, as it amounts to harassment. All we are saying is that there should be regulations.
"This is something that has becoming worse over the past four or five years and I want to see something done to stop it. The M.E.N. survey is helping us go some way to achieve that.''
The survey's findings were also backed by MP Bill Tynan, who has put forward a Bill on fireworks to go before Parliament next month.
His Bill calls for sales to be limited to three weeks before and a few days after Bonfire Night, as well as calling for a reduction in firework noise levels and an 11pm curfew on letting them off.
Mr Tynan said: "Like all MPs, I am aware of your survey and I am glad that the response has been in favour of a ban.
"It is important that local papers highlight the issue of fireworks so that people can contact their MPs and let them know what they think, as I need to gain support from MPs so that my Bill is approved.''

January 24 2003, This is Local London, Stop the firework hell
When I saw the new fireworks shop I nearly fainted. What idiotic councillors gave planning permission for that? We have fireworks all the year round on Coombe Hill. Coombe Hell' I call it. We were badly abused on Christmas Day, late in the evening, by someone rich, with yob mentality, letting off £50 bangers. A very sick concept of peace on earth and goodwill to all men. One wondered if it amused, whoever set these off, to imagine infants waking up screaming.
New Year's Day started on New Year's Eve at 7.40pm. Remembrance Day, when there must be many people like me who have good reason to be quiet and reflective, was like a WW2 bombardment. As a one-time doodle-bug alley kid I really don't need to be reminded that war is evil.
All year round on multicultural/multifaith Coombe Hell' people celebrate in their gardens with loud explosions. There are birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, Diwali, the end of Ramadan, American Independence and Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, Guy Fawkes, for nearly a month and on and on and on. No one ever has the grace to warn their neighbours.
Surely people who want to turn their neighbourhood into Armageddon should pay a hefty sum for a permit?
I've been told that manufacturing, selling and buying fireworks helps the economy. It must be just about the most stupid way to earn a living, create pollution (noise and air) and waste money.
The Comet has become a good campaigning newspaper. Can anyone put a good case for allowing un-neighbourly neighbours to bomb tiles off a little old lady's roof whenever they feel like it? Personally I doubt it. What do other people think?
I. G. New Malden

January 24 2003, Yorkshire Post, Fireworks dossier on its way to Euro MPs
A LEADING Euro MP has pledged his full support to a Harrogate woman's campaign against fireworks.
Yorkshire and Humber MEP David Bowe is to take a dossier of support for the campaign to the European Parliament in a bid to outlaw the year-round sale of fireworks.
Marjorie Johnson, of Almsford Road in Harrogate, has been campaigning for a ban since an elderly neighbour's dog died during a fireworks display nearly five years ago.
A Private Member's Bill is due to have its first reading in Parliament next month but Mrs Johnson has already said such moves do not go far enough and is insisting that the sale of fireworks be banned apart from a one-week period before Bonfire Night and New Year's Eve.
Even then, she says, they should only sold by professional and trained people in specifically licensed premises.
Now Mr Bowe has leant his weight to the battle after admitting he was "astonished" by the level of public feeling against fireworks.
"I am absolutely staggered by the amount of work Mrs Johnson has done," he said.
"She has got an amazing amount of material and I will gather a large amount of it up and take it to Europe and see what we can do to stop the sale of fireworks all year round.
"The problem at the moment is that they are a legitimate product throughout Europe and, as such, can pass freely from country to country which means that even if we ban them here, you could quite legitimately bring them over from France or any other EU country because it is a common market.
"And equally, if we press for a bylaw banning the sale of fireworks in Harrogate then there is no way of stopping people buying them in Bradford or Leeds. It's a very difficult situation.
"But I am a former chemistry teacher and I know how dangerous these things are. I wouldn't like to pick up some of the larger ones without training so we really do need some legislation."
A series of voluntary measures are already in place in Harrogate aiming to cut the amount of fireworks sold outside the bonfire night period.
Among measures under the existing voluntary code, stores are requested to stop the supply of airbombs, ensure that no firework exceeds a noise level of 120 decibels, limit the supply of rockets and restrict the supply of noisy fireworks.
But Mr Bowe criticised the voluntary schemes, insisting that the only way to stop people selling fireworks was to impose a legally-binding ban.
"The voluntary codes are simply not working because people will always make good money from selling fireworks," he explained.
"Frankly, they will never work so what I'll do is have a word with some people at the DTI who already know about this effort and move it on to Europe from there. We really do need trained people selling and buying for safety reasons as well as stopping the nuisance caused by the noise factor.
"We don't mind a few fireworks in the back garden on Bonfire Night - we're no killjoys - but the present situation is ludicrous and hopefully I can help to change it."