Firework safety

Keep safe with our essential Bonfire night safety tips for your family and your pets

The Fire Service advises that no children under the age of five should be given a sparkler, as these can burn up to a temperature of 2000 degrees centigrade, A spokesman said: "Always treat fireworks with care and respect and when holding a bonfire event, follow the simple tips provided. These should help ensure that lives remain safe and property intact."

These include:

Always follow the Firework Code

• Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114.
• Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks.
• Keep fireworks in a closed box.
• Follow the instructions on each firework.
• Light them at arm's length, using a taper.
• Stand well back.
• Never go near a firework that has been lit.
• Even if it doesn't go off, it could still explode.
• Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them.
• Always supervise children around fireworks.
• Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves.
• Never give sparklers to a child under five.
• Keep pets indoors.
• It is illegal to set fireworks off between 11pm and 7am except in the following cases:

5 November – until midnight
Diwali (28 October) 1am on the following day
New Year's Eve – 1am on the following day
Chinese New Year – 1am on the following day

Take care with bonfires:

• A bonfire should be positioned well away from any buildings, sheds and overhanging branches.
• A bonfire should not be lit before any firework display unless the firework display is sufficiently far away to ensure stray sparks from the bonfire cannot fall into the firework area.
• A bonfire should not contain any potentially hazardous materials which may explode or give off toxic fumes, such as; aerosols, batteries, bottles, foam-filled furniture or tins of paint
• A bonfire should be kept to a manageable size and evenly built so that is collapses inwards as it burns.
• Always check the bonfire's construction is still sound prior to lighting it, that there are no children or animals inside, and that hazardous items such as aerosols and fireworks have not been thrown onto it.
• The bonfire should not be lit by children or left unattended and nothing should be cooked on it.
• Flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel, methylated spirits or white spirit should NEVER be poured onto the bonfire to light or revive it.
• Enjoy your fireworks event!

Don't forget your pets!

While Bonfire Night is great for the kids, it's not so popular with animals.

Every year animals suffer both physically and mentally during November as a result of being exposed to dangerous and noisy firework displays.

The campaign group, Animal Defenders International (ADI), is urging all those using fireworks to celebrate Bonfire Night, to ensure the wellbeing of any animals nearby and, more importantly, not to take animals to the events.

Jan Creamer, ADI's chief executive said: "Please warn all neighbouring animal owners if you are intending to have a firework display.

"Alert them to keep all house pets inside with the windows and doors shut."

Take a look at the Fire Service's firework safety cartoons by clicking on the images below