A FURTHER plea to take care when using fireworks has been made by safety chiefs.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards and West Yorkshire Fire Service have this week been giving demonstrations on how to use garden fireworks safely.
The aim was to encourage young people and their parents to think carefully about the size of their garden and the size of the fireworks they buy, and if not to consider going to one of the many free fireworks displays.
Graham Hebblethwaite, chief trading standards officer, said: "It is imperative that we get the message across that fireworks need to be used in the correct manner and that if used correctly Bonfire Night can be enjoyable for all."
Another fear, expressed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, is over people's attempts to light bonfires.
Last week's heavy rain is likely to have left wood soaking wet and difficult to light, tempting bonfire hosts to use potentially lethal petrol, meths or paraffin to get their fire going, said a spokesman.
But David Jenkins, RoSPA's product safety adviser warned: "Bonfires have literally exploded because of the build up of fumes from accelerants such as petrol or paraffin.
"People have been terribly burned and even killed when trying to speed things up.
"The best thing to do is to keep a store of dry materials and use those to start the fire."
