PUB-GOERS can raise a glass to the M.E.N.'s firework safety crusade thanks to a new advertising campaign.

Men and teenage boys are being targeted with beer mats and posters warning of the potentially disastrous effects of playing with fireworks.

The é650,000 campaign will run in Manchester, Salford and Oldham after figures revealed that there were 198 firework accidents in the north west last year - the highest number in Britain.

The move is part of the biggest-ever crackdown on fireworks louts in the run-up to November 5. Sales to under-18s have been banned and a curfew has been introduced to stop fireworks being set off in the early hours.

In Manchester, anyone misusing fireworks or selling them illegally could be put under an anti-social behaviour order - and face five years in jail.

Pledge

The government has also repeated its pledge to consider banning all over-the-counter sales, as demanded by the M.E.N. Stay Safe campaign, if tough new laws don't work.

Consumer minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "We want to stop louts and vandals using fireworks to terrorise communities.

"If people don't follow the firework code the horrific results could last for life. We are saying be safe not sorry. I believe we have introduced a measured attempt to cut out yobbish behaviour."

The pub campaign will use posters showing a teenager with horrific scars caused by fireworks.

Based on fashion adverts, the poster says: "Polo shirt from girlfriend é35, sweatband é10, headphones from Mum and Dad é50 - lifelong scars from messing around with roman candle é7.99."

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