Our top tips for keeping safe this Bonfire Night

Remember, remember…. Bonfire Night is coming around again  – where we all descend on cold, damp fields in our faithful wellies and a million and one layers that would make any mum proud.

A certain Mr Guy Fawkes was responsible for the Gunpowder Plot, which is commemorated on November 5th. He and a group of associates attempted to blow up the Palace of Westminster in 1605, after smuggling several barrels of gunpowder into a cellar in the House of Lords. Sadly, this was long before the foundation of Crimestoppers, so he missed out on being featured in one of our fugitive campaigns!

As a community champion, Crimestoppers want our communities to be safe, and to stay safe. Below we share our top tips on how to help keep our communities safe this Bonfire night:

• Where possible, visit an organised fireworks display.

• If you are going to use your own fireworks, remember you need to be over 18 to possess or buy fireworks.

• Buy from a legitimate retailer.  

• Please be mindful of your neighbours, and set off fireworks earlier rather than later.  

• Legally we cannot set off fireworks after midnight on Bonfire Night, and between 11pm - 7am all other times, except for New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1am.

• Those who use fireworks illegally or sell them illegally can be fined on the spot up to £90, fined up to £5,000 and/or could be imprisoned.

• Make sure that the materials used for bonfires are the right types of waste, as under the current environmental legislation, the wrong type can be bad for our environment, and for our health.

• Stay legal, as disposal of illegal waste like old furniture, mattresses or household rubbish can result in fines for those that do this of up to £50,000.

• Waste must be kept securely before it is burnt to ensure it contains suitable materials.

• Ensure that a safe distance is kept and maintained between the bonfire and its onlookers.

• More firework safety advice: have a great time and if you need any more tips and safety advice on safety then please check out the great advice given by the organisations such as The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

• Speak up. Stay safe - if you have any concerns or fear that someone in your neighbourhood may be using fireworks recklessly, or burning waste illegally, and don’t want to go to the police, you can always contact us.  As a community champion we can change communities for the better by working together. We help people speak up and stop crime - 100% anonymously.

Speak up.  Stay safe. Contact us anonymously by calling 0800 555111 or by  giving us information online.