IN response to the Fireworks Let-off article, I would like to express my disgust at the low regard Bolton Planning Environment Committee have for the quality of life of those who suffer so much at the hands of firework thugs.

People who suffer the most are the elderly and the very young. The elderly have made a positive contribution to the life of the community for many years and deserve respect in their old age. (I know that certain old people have been the target of some louts setting fireworks off by their windows and doors).

Perhaps asking for a blanket ban was asking too much but, having been door to door in my area getting signatures for a petition against fireworks nuisance, I am sure that the vast majority of people would favour a ban on selling bangers and fireworks with inbuilt bangs to members of the public. The very least Bolton Metro could do, would be to ban the sale of fireworks immediately after November 5 and to limit the selling period to a maximum of two weeks before.

I have been told that because, in a multicultural society, fireworks are used as part of ceremonies such as Chinese New Year, we can't do anything about Bonfire fireworks. In response to this I would say that the Chinese don't celebrate New Year for weeks before and after the event. Neither should we tolerate crazy youths setting off fireworks from the end of September to the first week in January. This is not celebration it is intimidation and please Bolton Metro don't give us any feeble excuses, we just want action from you because September to January fireworks is the reality in this area.

Bolton Councillors should reflect the views of the residents in their areas when they vote on such important issues - they should demonstrate that they actually care about what happens on planet earth during this season - not what happens in their idealistic little world.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.