Welsh bid to ground sky lanterns

A Welsh Assembly member has launched a legislative bid to cut the use of sky lanterns.

Antoinette Sandbach, assembly member for North Wales, said nobody wanted to be a killjoy, but releasing lanterns put people, farm animals and property at risk.

“While the lanterns are airborne they can be mistaken for marine distress flares and have the potential to damage aircraft,” Ms Sandbach said.

The burning fuel can set residential property, business premises and farmland alight, especially in dry weather, she added.

“They also pose an unacceptable threat to farm animal welfare. Cattle are naturally inquisitive and are all too easily injured by eating metal fragments from these lanterns.

“It is my hope to introduce legislation to restrict their use, and in doing so safeguard members of the public and farm animal welfare.”

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