Fireworks can be great fun, but too many people, including very young children, are badly hurt every year when things go wrong.
The safest place to enjoy fireworks is at a large public display - far fewer people are injured here than at smaller family or private parties. However, if you do decide to hold your own garden display, there are steps you can take to make it safer:
- Only adults should deal with setting up firework displays, the lighting of fireworks and the safe disposal of fireworks once they have been used
- Children and young people should watch and enjoy fireworks from a safe distance
- Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
- Never let children under five use a sparkler
- Never hold a baby in your arms while you are holding a sparkler
- When the sparkler has finished, put it in a bucket of cold water
- Always supervise children around bonfires.
To find out more about bonfires, fireworks or sparklers, or to read the Fireworks Code in full, visit our fireworks page.