KETTERING: Taking action over the firework yobs

Taking action over the firework yobs

TAKING A STAND Kettering MP Philip Hollobone, with his son Thomas, receives the petition from Mary Greening, watched by Ruth Groome and Derek Zanger

READERS have already started to contact the Evening Telegraph with details of fireworks being let off in streets and parks.

Now we want to hear about every incident you see or hear.

In the run up to Bonfire Night, police are working with partner organisations – Trading Standards, Environmental Health departments and the fire and rescue service – to share information and target action in hotspot areas for anti-social behaviour with fireworks.

Chief Insp Sean Bell said: "Every year hundreds of calls are made to the police by people who are alarmed by, or just fed up with the noise of fireworks being used inappropriately in the street.

"We may not always be able to send an officer when people call about firework nuisance but we will use the information they give us and they can rest assured that when we find clear evidence that someone has committed an offence, we will be issuing them with a fixed penalty notice."

During last year's firework crackdown, officers from Northamptonshire North Community Safety department carried out patrols across Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Rushden and the surrounding villages between November 1 and 5.

They attended 31 firework-related incidents of anti-social behaviour, 22 people were stopped and searched, 18 people were stopped and questioned about what they were doing in the area, 22 fireworks were seized, one £80 penalty notice for disorder was issued and 11 items of intelligence were recorded.

The one £80 penalty notice for disorder was issued to a 16-year-old boy who was found in possession of a firework in Barton Seagrave on November 2.

Last year we asked our readers what they thought about the sale of fireworks and they voted overwhelmingly for a total ban on the sale of them over shop counters.

In just one week nearly 800 people cast their vote in the big debate, with the final tally showing 696 people in favour of the ban and 96 against.

As a result Kettering MP Philip Hollobone raised the issue in Parliament but the Government did not introduce a ban.

Jonny Rush, of Weekley Glebe Road, Kettering, said: "When are shop owners going to take responsibility for selling fireworks so early?

"I saw my dogs cowering under my settee because of fireworks being let off."

In an e-mail to the Evening Telegraph, Alan Lund said: "An organised display that has been properly risk-assessed is far preferable to a privately-staged one, that at best is annoying to neighbours and at worst can cause death or injury and loss or damage to property."

The founder of Safewings Bird Sanctuary, in Isham, Andy Meads said: "Fireworks cause so much unnecessary death and trauma to pets, livestock and wildlife. We are calling for all animal welfare groups to back the control of fireworks.

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Taking-action-over-the-firework.3308320.jp