FIREWORKS: Limit usage to reduce risk

I remember reading in the Northumberland Gazette around November 5, that a horse in Bamburgh had to be put down having badly entangled itself on barbed wire and that a dog had drowned after scrambling onto rocks at Whitley Bay. Both had been spooked by fireworks.

Fireworks are a danger to domestic animals, wildlife and farm stock, as well as people.

In recent years fireworks have been increasingly used by private individuals, and at many times throughout the year in addition to November 5.

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Some of these private parties have very loud fireworks that are let off with apparent total disregard for nearby farm animals, wild animals, pets, and indeed, their neighbours. This is very irresponsible in my view.

Personally, I would rather listen to the glorious sound of Rothbury church bells heralding the New Year than exploding fireworks.

I imagine that these fireworks are also very expensive. Perhaps a donation to displaced Syrian children would be money better spent?

I also read that Edinburgh’s council is considering only using silent fireworks in the city on New Year’s Eve.

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I do not wish to spoil children’s enjoyment of fireworks, but in my opinion they should either be silent or, failing that, restricted to safe and properly organised public events, located well away from farm animals, wildlife and, so far as possible, away from populated areas to minimise the disturbance to domestic pets.

Jill Spotwood,

Hillside East,

Rothbury