LETTING off very loud fireworks on the streets of a quiet town in the middle of the night is an act bound to irritate more people than it could ever hope to impress.

There is no excuse for such annoying behaviour, but it has become all too common over the past few years.

In the first place, anyone too dim to realise that hundreds of slumbering people would be adversely affected by the noise should be denied possession of such dangerous implements as fireworks in the first place, if only to prevent an incompetent mishap resulting in serious physical injury.

If, on the other hand, those responsible were bright enough to realise the consequences of their actions and didn't give a fig for the sleeping residents, should we really be allowing such callous individuals the freedom to run around our town in the middle of the night?

One single incident apart, most of us have realised that the former Bonfire Night now encompasses a period which could stretch to around three months of the year, with the constant explosions and whoosh of rockets filling the autumn night for weeks on end.

Not content with this, more and more people are finding it impossible to have a party in summer without trying to emulate a particularly lively night on the Somme in 1916.

In the modern world, with wonder after wonder being beamed into our homes via cable and satellite 24-hours a day, simple, domestic firework displays provide scant competition and over the years have lost their lustre and power to impress our increasingly sophisticated children.

Therefore, it is impossible to escape the suspicion that the increasing popularity of tacky, but noisy amateur firework displays results from their knack of providing an opportunity for inadequate adults to vent their spleen and envy on the rest of us by keeping us awake at night and alarming our pets.

One sad consequence is that all appeals for consideration will inevitably fail to ignite any consciences at all.