Plea not to use sky lanterns in Norfolk
They may be pretty, but they can cause big problems
Breckland Council is urging local residents to avoid using sky lanterns over the Christmas and New Year period due to the potential damage they can cause to local wildlife, farm animals and property.
The call comes after burnt out lanterns were recently discovered in the Thetford area, which could have caused a serious fire and endangered the environment.
A council spokesperson commented:
"We strongly urge people not to light sky lanterns as they potentially pose a fire hazard, can impact on our agriculture industries, and risk the lives of the district's residents and animals. Once they land, they then turn into dangerous litter, which our waste team or landowners then have to collect to stop them becoming hazards.
Almost 90 local authorities across the UK have banned the use of lanterns on their land, including Breckland Council. If you come across a burnt-out sky lantern please either dispose of it safely or report it online.