Supporrt for firework ban (From Warrington Guardian)

Supporrt for firework ban

A BAN on the public sale of fireworks has been supported by Halton Councillors.

Runcorn Town Hall heard fireworks turned the borough into 'Beirut.'

They voted to back Liverpool Council's campaign to only allow firework sales for organised displays.

The environment board heard the RSPCA want fireworks to be limited to 95 decibels - the sound of an electric drill and the level when ear plugs are normally used.

Support

Cllr Dennis Middlemass said: "I think we should support the RSPCA because fireworks night now lasts for about nine months.

"People are saying it's children setting them off but it's also middle aged people coming home from the pub and saying let's have a fireworks display.

"We've got to educate adults. It's like Beirut sometimes on a Saturday night."

Chairman Sean Osbourne said: "It's a growing menace. All councillors have had complaints about them, they can be let off at 1am or 2am in the morning."

Halton Brook councillor Stef Nelson said it was one of the biggest problems he had in his ward.

He said he had seen a man in Norleane Crescent setting them off in the middle of the road.

The meeting also heard the chief constables of Cheshire and Merseyside Police want tougher controls on firework sales.

The council doesn't have the power to pass a by-law stopping the sale of fireworks to the public at the moment and the proposal now goes to the council's executive board.