Sky lanterns a request not to use them.

Oldwoman7, I am surprised, living in a rural area, surrounded by events venues, I would have thought we would have seen both sky lanterns and the helium balloons - I have seen a lot of those for sale. I walk all the local footpaths and have not seen the remants of either. Our plague are those collapsable tents that always get left after a local music festival.

As merlotgran says, what goes up must come down. Both lanterns and balloons will come down either in the countryside, affecting farm animals and wildlife, or at sea killing marine life. It makes me cringe to see a a big balloon release, and everyone looking so thrilled about it.

MOnica I would think as the fire service and farmers are calling for people not to use them there must be a significant number of idiots using them.

Anyone got any statistics on how much they are used, I speak of sky lanterns or is this all a storm in a teacup (I am still talking about sky lanterns). Fireworks are another issue.

True Gabriella - but I'm now beginning to realise how numerous they are!

There will always be fools and idiots.

The ground is dry and cracked here. Many neighbours have Leylandii hedges and eucalyptus or birch trees.

They all burn ferociously if they catch a spark. All the fire brigade can do is keep the area clear and watch them burn.

It's utter madness to risk lanterns or fireworks at this time!

What goes up, must come down.

Don't do it!

Lanterns should be banned and those helium balloons too.

This evening everyone around here was out applauding the NHS, clapping, ringing bells and banging pans. However, someone, somewhere started letting off fireworks and the acrid smell in the atmosphere was horrible. We have become used to less pollution during lockdown and the fireworks were an unpleasant reminder of what normally happens from about 31st October to New Year's Eve, with several other celebrations all year through.

They should be banned too except for official displays.

Ban balloons while you're at it. ???❌

There's a horrific picture on Facebook at the moment of an owl that has been tangled up in a lantern and died.

I've seen adverts for union jack sky lanterns on facebook within the last couple of days. I don't think they're banned. I thought they were only a fairly recent fashion (well, within the last 10 years) but perhaps we're a bit behind the times in the NE.

It's a shame they're so lethal because they do look so very pretty at night...

Lanterns are only used by the ignorant. Shame there seems to be so many of them.

My cats went scatty with the fireworks again, oh dear. The tugs on the river sounded better.

I thought sky lanterns were banned a few years ago.

To what extent do people still use ssky lanterns? It is decades since I saw any or knew anyone who would even consider using them. I haven't seen any for sale for a long time either or heard of any fire incidents. I live in a village, but we have several wedding and event venues in the immediate vicinity and would have surely seen them if they were still commonly used.

Lanterns are extremely dangerous and should be totally banned.

I'm another who says keep it simple. Ban Chinese Lanterns, they're so dangerous.
I don't want to be a total whinge but I'd be happy if fireworks were only sold for organised displays and those displays limited to specific events. We have what seems like an endless run from October to February with various significant celebrations. I'm lucky, my dogs aren't bothered but it's people, not just animals who are potentially badly affected. Exservice personnel being the obvious.

With all the reasons given above I do think these lanterns should be banned. I’m beginning to feel the same about fireworks too as people seem to just set them off throughout the year for their own amusement with no thought to animals and wildlife they terrify.

I saw this and thought NO.These things are so dangerous and at a time like this creating a fire risk let alone danger to wildlife is insane.They should be banned. What's wrong with just clapping and pot banging -if you want to.Last week a lot more fireworks went off than previously and that's bad enough.I really hope there's a big message sent out not to release them,but fear the usual lot that set them off will ignore.

Sky lanterns are a threat to animals and a fire Fisk for all they should have been banned years ago.

They are so dangerous for all animals, they can cause serious burns and death. If one of these lanterns land near a hay barn /animal shelter /stable the risk of fire is high.

Please do not send up a sky lantern for the NHS