Bradford Council is set to seek legislation which would limit the period in which fireworks can be sold.

The move comes as increasing numbers of people object to noise and nuisance throughout the year.

Trading standards officers say large numbers of fireworks are used at New Year, as well as for weddings and parties at other times.

Now the Council's environment scrutiny committee, which will consider the problem on Thursday, is expected to agree to lobby Parliament, along with police and West Yorkshire Trading Standards, to restrict sales to a certain part of the year.

Pressure would also be put on the Government to increase the powers of the police and Trading Standards to deal with the nuisance.

The move was welcomed by firework safety campaigner Elizabeth Hellmich, of Heaton.

"If they can do it then all power to them, but I think it would be unworkable - people are using them for celebrations all year round now and it would be extremely difficult to police," she said.

"What we're campaigning for is tighter controls on imports, restricting the time of day when they can be exploded and putting a limit on their decibel output.''

But Khadim Hussain, executive committee member of Bradford Council for Mosques, said: "It is the tradition to have fireworks at Eastern weddings and I don't think it would work to restrict the times of the year when they could be sold.

"I think it would be better to restrict the times of the day when they could be used, such as late at night. The places where they are used should be restricted as well, for example old people's homes."

West Yorkshire Trading Standards safety officer Paul Cooper said existing legislation only covered safety issues and there was a voluntary code of conduct between the manufacturers and retailers limiting the sale period to three weeks before and a few days after November 5.

"I agree that the legislation should cover safety but fireworks are now being used 12 months a year."

The Council's director of legal and democratic services, Gerry Danby, says in a report to the committee that fireworks are used indiscriminately throughout the year. Members will be told there is associated vandalism causing distress and nuisance.

Celebrations sometimes continue for five days. Chains of fireworks make a noise like gunfire, and are often close to houses, says Mr Danby.