Last year 1,361 people were injured by fireworks in Britain, a 40 per cent increase on the previous year. There was a 60 per cent rise in the number injured by fireworks in the street.
The M.E.N. reported backing for the campaign from firemen and how a mother lost her baby after an attack by firework thugs. MPs began to demand restrictions on the sale of fireworks.
In November we handed the government a terrifying dossier highlighting injuries and devastation. Trade minister Melanie Johnson promised to read it with interest. It included dozens of news stories about lives wrecked by fireworks and a plea from the editor, Paul Horrocks, who asked the government to ban over-the-counter sales and to restrict the use of fireworks to qualified operators.
Yesterday, Scottish MP Bill Tynan won an unopposed second reading for his Fireworks Bill which would limit the general sale of fireworks to three weeks before bonfire night and ban displays after 11pm at any time of the year. It would bring in six-month jail sentences or fines of é5,000.
The Bill will be discussed in an MPs' committee and could become before next bonfire night. Tweet