MORE than 100 complaints have been made to police about the use of fireworks in Pendle in each of the last two years.

The authority’s policy and resources committee will discuss the problem when it meets next week.

In a report to go before the committee, the council's community protection order co-ordinator, Tim Horsley, said fireworks are being bought year-round from retailers outside Pendle – particularly in Manchester.

And he warned people are buying display fireworks not intended for use in residential areas.

There were 118 complaints in 2016/17 and 108 in 2017/18, with the majority coming from residents in Brierfield.

Mr Horsley said: “Over the last two years in particular complaints have not been limited to the Bonfire Night period and have started with the wedding season in late spring and early summer.

“In 2017 this continued through to Bonfire Night with many residents adversely affected yet very little evidence of who was responsible.

"In 2018, with learning from the previous year, the fire service, police, trading standards and this council were able to get messages out ahead of the wedding season and to better engage residents in providing information about potential events where fireworks may be used in public and outside permitted hours.

“The police were able to intervene early and gradually reduce illegal use. This meant the build up to the Bonfire Night period was less problematic however the period itself remained difficult.

“Although use was sometimes on the premise of being a family celebration this was often a proxy for causing a nuisance or was not involved in any way.

"There was a complete disregard for the law around time and place and of the disproportionate effect of using the fireworks in residential areas on older people; people with disabilities; people with PTSD and animals.”

A retailer seeking to sell fireworks outside licence free periods must have a year round licence to sell as well as a licence to store.

There are currently no premises in Pendle with a year round licence to sell fireworks.

It is illegal to use garden and display fireworks in a street or public place at any time and it is illegal to use them between 11pm and 7am other than on the specific dates relating to Bonfire Night, New Year, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

Mr Horsley added: "Catching people doing it or having their identity reported is problematic however this part of the regulation of fireworks offers the most local control with direct enforcement by the police and the opportunity for this council to use community protection legislation to help manage repeat offenders."