A BOLTON MP is trying to resurrect a bill to stamp out over-the-counter "deadly" display fireworks.

Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon wants powerful grade three fireworks, used in public displays, sold only to people with proper training.

At the moment anyone aged 18 or over can buy display fireworks, available from specialist shops, or even set up a company to put on public displays.

Dr Iddon warned: "In the wrong hands, these fireworks can be deadly.

"They need to be properly controlled and issued only to people who have the right training."

Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon is hoping the Private Members Bill he has been backing can be passed into law during a "non-sitting" day in Parliament.

Dr Iddon was furious that Tory MPs "talked out" the Bill designed to prevent any repeat of the tragedy when schoolmaster David Hattersley was killed by a suspect Chinese mortar bomb at a display at Hazlemere School in Buckinghamshire.

Mr Hattersley, aged 45, left a wife and six children after the fatal accident in 1996, and although he had frequently run such displays, had no training or qualifications.

The Private Members Bill, brought forward by Plymouth Sutton Labour MP Linda Gilroy with the sponsorship of Dr Iddon, would have banned the import of dangerous erratic foreign fireworks, and required all people running displays to have training and a proper qualification certificate.

The Bill went to the House of Lords for approval but was talked out in the Commons on a technical amendment by several Tories led by former consumer minister Edward Leigh.

The last hope may well be tomorrow when it could be taken as unfinished business.

It has only until November 24 to become law, otherwise the Bill will be killed as the Government announces the new Parliamentary year on that date with the Queen's Speech.

Dr Iddon said: "This Bill could save lives. Fireworks are again causing my constituents a lot of anxiety and many people would welcome this Bill becoming an Act of Parliament as a matter of urgency."

He praised the Government for already acting to tighten firework regulations.

He added: "This Government has already helped to prevent injury and save lives as can be seen by statistics which show numbers of accidents are on the decrease."

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