Safety Advice

When lighting fireworks, it is important you remain safe and follow the law.

Take great care when handling fireworks. Always consult your fire department if you feel the safety of you and others is at risk. Take great care, they are not toys…

Always follow the firework code:

  • Keep fireworks in a closed box and take out one at a time Stand well back (it will say on the side the required safety distance for your spectators)
  • Keep pets indoors
  • Only buy fireworks that are CE marked and from a trusted firework retailer
  • Light at arm’s length, using a portfire or taper
  • Follow the instructions on each firework
  • Never give sparklers to a child under five
  • Always supervise children under 18 with sparklers
  • Never drink alcohol if you are setting off fireworks
  • Always supervise children under 18 around fireworks
  • Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
  • Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
  • Never go near a firework that has been lit – even if it hasn’t gone off it could still explode
  • Do not put used fireworks on a bonfire
  • Never use petrol or paraffin on a bonfire

Buying Fireworks

When buying fireworks, never cut corners to save money. Always buy from a reputable retailer and make sure they conform to current safety standards.

It is unadvisable you buy your fireworks from a shop that is only open around Bonfire Night and New Year. Staff in these shops may not be very knowledgeable about firework safety or have enough experience. We have a combined 20 years of experience, and work with fireworks all year round, so you are in safe hands with us.

Make sure the firework you buy is CE certified and Category F3 or lower. Category F4 or above is for professional display use only as it requires a certain amount of training, equipment, insurance and storage licence.

Always buy fireworks with the correct safety distance. Fireworks with the safety distance greater than the space available have the potential to be dangerous.

Never buy fireworks from anywhere you are unsure about, such as the back of a van, a temporary market stall, or even a mate from the pub.

Setting Fireworks Off

Try to let your neighbours know when you intend to set off fireworks via social media or a letter through the door, especially if they are elderly, have small children or pets.

Rockets fly into the wind, so if you think the rocket will go over the crowd, put it further back until it’s a safe distance away from the spectators.

Only one person should be in charge of fireworks. If that’s you, then make sure you take all the necessary precautions. Always read the instructions in daylight, ensure your spectators are located at least the minimum distance away and don’t drink any alcohol until they’ve all been discharged. On the night, you will need…

  • a torch
  • a bucket or two of water
  • Portfires or a taper to light your fireworks
  • eye protection and a pair of gloves
  • a bucket of soft earth or sand to put fireworks in OR
  • Wooden stakes and gaffe tape to secure the fireworks with
  • suitable supports and launchers if you’re setting off catherine wheels or rockets

Keep children safe

We want children to enjoy our fireworks but please be wary that they are a dangerous product, especially if not used properly. Over half of yearly firework related injuries are suffered by children. Call 999 if you or a child suffer serious injuries due to fireworks.

Babies and toddlers tend to wriggle and reach out for things without warning. Never hold a child and a sparkler at the same time. Children under 5 are too young to hold a firework and will not understand why they are dangerous. Never give a sparkler to a child under 5 to hold. Children over 5 will still need supervision as sparklers can get extremely hot. Always have a bucket of sand or cold water to put them in when finished.

In an emergency, use COOL, CALL, COVER:

COOL: Run lots of cool, running water on the burn for 20 mins.
CALL: Call for medical help, 999 or 111 depending on the severity of the situation.
COVER: Cover the burn with loose strips of clingfilm or clean, non fluffy material to prevent infection.

Protecting Animals

You should take precautions to protect your pets during firework displays. Consult: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/fireworks for more advice on protecting your pets from fireworks.

Bonfire Safety

If you’re thinking of organising your own bonfire as part of your celebrations, please follow the safety advice below so that everyone has a good time without getting hurt.

  • Site the bonfire well away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees and shrubs AND ALWAYS AWAY FROM FIREWORKS
  • Build the stack so that it is stable and will not collapse outwards or to one side
  • NEVER use flammable liquids – paraffin or petrol – to light the fire
  • Don’t burn foam-filled furniture, carpets, aerosols, tins of paint and bottles
  • Keep everyone away from the fire – especially children, who must be supervised all the time
  • In case of emergency, keep buckets of water, the garden hose or a fire extinguisher ready
  • Pour water on the embers and ensure the fire is out before leaving.

The Law

The following are laws about when fireworks can be sold and to who, as well as times fireworks can legally be set off.

Those under 18, cannot buy or set off fireworks. We will not sell to those under 18. We may ask for proof of identity at the time of checkout, at the time of collection or when we deliver your order. We operate a strict ‘Challenge 25’ policy.

It is illegal to:

  • Set off or throw fireworks in the street or other public places
  • Set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am- except during certain celebrations.
  • Tamper with or modify fireworks

If the law is broken, you could be fined up to £5000 and can be imprisoned for up to three months. Or you may be liable for an on the spot fine of £80.

You can let off fireworks:

  • Between 7am and 11pm, 7 days a week
  • Until midnight on Bonfire Night
  • Until 1am on New Years Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year