Police settle debate on November 5 firework rules including 'curfew' penalties

Police settle debate on November 5 firework rules including 'curfew' penalties With celebrations taking place on November 5 many people are already preparing for their firework displays November 5 is annually celebrated across the UK and is known as fireworks - or more commonly - Bonfire Night. Police have settled the debate over firework rules and penalties that some people could incur. On Ask The Police, a website administered by police forces around the UK, someone asked: "What are the rules relating to fireworks?" The experts listed the rules and noted that, across four nights of the year, curfews are in place with slight differences due to the event. The Police said it is an offence to: - Possess adult fireworks (all fireworks except category 1 fireworks - party poppers, sparklers, throwdowns etc) in a public place by anyone under the age of 18; - Possess category 4 fireworks (professional display fireworks) by anyone other than a fireworks professional; - Supply adult fireworks to those under 18; - Throw or cast or fire any firework in or into any highway, street, thoroughfare or public space (this would include throwing or firing from a private place into a public place, street, highway etc); - To light any fire or discharge any firearm or firework (without lawful authority or excuse) within 50 feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and as a consequence, the highway is damaged. What are the four fireworkcategories? - Category one: ‘Throwdown fireworks’ including firecrackers, bangers and party poppers - Categories two and three: ‘Adult fireworks’ available in shops - Category four: Professional display fireworks available from specialist suppliers Is there a curfew for fireworks? There is a curfew on the use of adult fireworks between 11 pm and 7 am, except on: - Bonfire Night (when the curfew is between midnight and 7 am) - New Year's Eve (when the curfew is between 1 am and 7 am) - Chinese New Year (when the curfew is between 1 am and 7 am) - Diwali Night (when the curfew is between 1 am and 7 am) Police say there are penalties for setting off fireworks outside the curfew hours, including up to six months in prison and a hefty fine of up to £5,000 - or even unlimited depending on the severity and specific regulations being enforced). They also warn that residents could be committing an offence if they use fireworks to cause a nuisance. Jail and an on-the-spot fine Gov.uk confirms that if you, for example, set off fireworks past the Bonfire Night curfew, where the cut-off is midnight, you could find yourself in trouble. It urges people to check with their local council to find out about any local rules for setting off fireworks. It states that you can only buy fireworks (including sparklers) from registered sellers for private use on these dates: - October 15 to November 10 - December 26 to 31 - 3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year It adds: "At other times, you can only buy fireworks from licensed shops. You can be fined an unlimited amount and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or using fireworks illegally. You could also get an on-the-spot fine of £90." Why do we celebrate Guy Fawkes Day? Guy Fawkes Day (Bonfire Night) is a British event held on November 5. It marks the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when a group led by Robert Catesby planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. According to Britannica, the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, led by Robert, were "zealous Roman Catholics enraged at King James I for refusing to grant greater religious tolerance to Catholics." The plot was discovered, and Guy Fawkes was caught the night before with the explosives. The plotters were killed or captured and later executed. Parliament then made November 5 a national day of thanksgiving, first celebrated in 1606. Remember... Traditionally, straw figures of Guy Fawkes were thrown onto the bonfire. In the days before Guy Fawkes Day, children carried these figures - known as “Guys” - around the streets and asked passers-by for “a penny for the guy,” often chanting rhymes linked to the event. The best-known one dates back to the 18th century. You may know it... Remember, remember, the fifth of NovemberGunpowder treason and plotWe see no reasonWhy Gunpowder treasonShould ever be forgot….