RESIDENTS in parts of Bradford have lost their patience when it comes to fireworks being set off late at night during the week.

Footage captured in Wibsey and Canterbury shows the night sky being filled with bright sparks which create an awful racket disturbing sleeping residents.

On Central Avenue, a video shows lines of cars beside people setting alight at least three crates of thunderous fireworks.

While in Wibsey, residents have highlighted the commotion caused on streets like Moore Avenue with videos and CCTV images.

One resident, Andrew Orme said: “Every single night now for over a week. It is 11.30pm on a Tuesday and they’re still going on as I write this. Many of us have to be up early for work, kids can’t sleep and animals are terrified. Selfish, inconsiderate and dangerous, it really is time to ban fireworks.”

The law states you must not set off or throw fireworks (including sparklers) in the street or other public places.

It also adds that you must not set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except for, Bonfire Night, when the cut off is midnight; or New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1am.

Inspector Andy Thornton, of Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The dangerous and inappropriate use of fireworks in our communities is not acceptable and we take a collaborative approach alongside our partners to warn of the dangers and consequences of such use.

“I have spoken with partners and local Councillors about this specific issue and suggested a way forward which looks to further build on this work.

“I would like to remind anyone looking to have a fireworks display that it is an offence to do it after 11pm and before 7am with the exception of specific holidays.

“Breaching those rules is an offence and could lead to prosecution.”

Wibsey Ward councillor Ralph Berry (Lab) feels the implementation of these rules has been lax and is doing all he can to try help harden them.

He said: “We have clear evidence, videos and information. We can look to the future but that existing rule needs to be enforced. We seem to have an outbreak of this in all communities. It is the after-hours thing. We don’t know why the rules are not being enforced, we are asking questions about that. We have got a scrutiny going on about fireworks. I have asked for checks to be made on whether the regulations are being observed on selling them too. The regulatory framework is lacking here. One person’s fun is at the cost of a lot of people’s wellbeing. We can only act in the powers that we are given. Where we identify that the powers are lacking, we scrutinise and argue. We need to be pressing through MPs for a better way of regulating this activity.”

Bradford West MP Naz Shah (Lab) addressed the issue in her most recent T&A column. She said she would be “continuing conversations with police and the Council to ensure that more is done to clamp down on illegal activity wherever it occurs.”

Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, Cllr Abdul Jabar’s comment to the Telegraph & Argus was a repeat of what he told us on August 16.

He said: “Councillors are so incensed about this issue that we brought a motion to Full Council asking for a review into the use of fireworks in neighbourhoods in the district and asking for the police, fire service, trading standards and licensing to be involved. We are expecting this report back in the next few weeks, when we’ll be pleased to share its contents with the public.”

Liberal Democrat leader Jeanette Sunderland, who has been running a petition, which currently has 700 signatures, to ban noisy fireworks in Bradford for the past year, claims the council has been saying that “for months” without a report coming to pass.

She added: “The Lib Dems did a motion to council where they agreed that they would have an investigation, that appears to have gone to ground. We have been asking questions as to what has happened to it. My understanding is it is going to arrive soon. People are happy to let people do it for celebrations, but it almost appears to be every night now. If it is bonfire night you expect it if it is the middle of September, you are not. Another issue is we are having a clear air zone and people are having to pay lots of money to move about in the city and this is all adding to the problem of dirty air.”