Firework could cost you £5,000

IN an attempt to tackle anti-social behaviour, this weekend the Government introduced a curfew on fireworks with penalties up to a £5,000 fine and six months in jail.

Although the measures don't go as far as some had hoped, they do give the police the power to take action against those who persist in setting fireworks off late at night.

From now on, anyone setting off fireworks between 11pm and 7am will be breaking the law. Exceptions have been made for events on the Chinese New Year, Diwali, November 5th and New Year's Eve from 11pm-1am.

It is now also an offence for any person under 18 not only to buy fireworks but to posses any adult firework in a public place.

It is also an offence for any person to possess category 4 display type fireworks unless they are a professional organiser of fireworks displays.

Shops that sell fireworks will have to display warning notices detailing the new law.

Unfortunately, restrictions that have been placed on the noise levels of fireworks fall far short of what campaigners had hoped for and will only have a limited impact on the noise nuisance caused by fireworks. The Government has imposed a limit of 120 decibels, rather than the 95 decibels that was expected.

From January 1, 2005, a more robust licensing scheme will also be introduced. The current licence/registration issued under the Explosives Act 1875 will remain as an annual requirement, but any person wishing to sell fireworks outside of certain designated periods will require the new licence.

The local authority may charge up to £500 for this licence and can refuse to issue it, or revoke it, where the holder has committed offences under the fireworks legislation.

The cost of the current annual licence/registration is around £13.

The penalties for breaching these regulations are, up to six months imprisonment, or a fine of £5,000, or both.