I AM writing to you to tell you about the misery myself and others, particularly dog owners and those with young children, have suffered from the continual setting off of fireworks over the last two weeks.

Virtually every evening we have been subjected to loud explosions sometimes as late as midnight.

This evening (Monday, November 12) it started at 5.45pm and that is one week after November 5.

It was so early we had not given our poor dog a sedative.

I don’t think non-dog owners can have any idea of the trauma this behaviour causes to pets and very young children.

Our dog is petrified and shakes for hours on end.

We have a thunder coat for her which used to calm her a bit but now if we put it on her she starts panicking as she realises what to expect.

We also spent almost £70 on a visit to the vet and associated calming tablets and all because some people want to barrage us with these explosions just for their pleasure.

I know that legally fireworks can be set off up to 11pm but surely people should be responsible enough to curtail their pyrotechnic activities earlier just to show a bit of consideration for their neighbourhood.

The size of the explosions this year seems far greater than previous years and it is clear that some of these are much larger than ordinary garden fireworks.

I was amazed when I read the law on firework sales to find that Class 3 fireworks, which are the largest that can be sold to unlicensed individuals, need a clear area of 25 metres between the firework and the audience.

How can an urban-type neighbourhood provide such a buffer?

The law states “you must not set off or throw fireworks in the street or other public places” so how can these fireworks be set off legally in a village where the average property frontage is about 10 metres.

There is a national petition asking the Government to stop the sale of fireworks to individuals and it is clear from the behaviour of at least a minority they do not wish to abide by the law. It can’t be children setting them off as the minimum age for buying fireworks is 18, so these are adults of voting age who are doing so.

I do hope the Government will take notice of this anti-social behaviour and curb the sale of fireworks, or at least these large ones unsuited to an urban type area.

Andrew Goldsmith

The Maltings, Rayne