Douglas councillors have voted to call for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public - while at the same meeting agreeing to spend an extra £3,000 on its own display.

A majority of members supported the recommendation of the council’s executive committee to lobby the government to end the sale of fireworks in shops. But there was unanimous support to spend an additional £3,000 on fireworks for the Christmas lights switch-on.

The council has proposed a ban due to environmental reasons as debris from falling rockets can cause damage or be eaten by animals.

The request to write to the government came from Councillor Ritchie McNicholl, who said he has long wanted to see the public banned from buying fireworks but is in favour of large community displays such as ones put on by Douglas, Peel, Ramsey and Port Erin local authorities. Mr McNicholl said: ’We’ve seen it in the UK, fireworks used as weapons and aimed at people’s houses.

’I was watching on TV where firefighters had gone to a fire and they had to retreat as people fired the rockets at them.

’Why do we consider it normal to sell explosives to members of the public?

’People don’t pay attention to the order of what nights they can be set off and they don’t know what damage the rockets can do to wildlife when they come down.

’I’m in favour of big community events, where everyone can come along and watch and get out the house to come see them.’

He was supported by leader of the council David Christian who said he believed the number of fireworks sold to the public had declined as shops don’t have the large displays they used to have.

Mr Christian added: ’I know people who take sleeping pills to help them through Bonfire Night but, when it is a large community event, it is well publicised and they know when it is.

’A controlled event works better than people firing them off any night they want from their garden.’

However, Councillor Natalie Byron criticised this approach and asked why the council should be trying to stop people from having fireworks at weddings or private parties.

She said it was not really in the council’s remit to be exploring the issue.

Councillor Carol Malarkey agreed and said it ’could spoil the fun’ of some weddings and also noted that the council was being asking to approve supporting a ban while at the same time agreeing to spend an extra £3,000 on fireworks.

Mr Christian said that fireworks weren’t needed for a good wedding and that their use ’should be limited to November 5’.

He also said that he disagreed with the need for fireworks to be set off to mark the end of the TT festival and for the Christmas lights switch-on, saying he didn’t feel that they added anything to the events.

Councillors voted in favour of the letter being sent to the government and later supported the release of £19,000 from the general reserves funds to be put towards the Christmas lights switch-on, which is due to be held on the North Quay on Thursday, November 21.

The recommendation put forward jointly by the regeneration and community and environmental services committees was that £16,000 be spent on new features for the switch on while the additional £3,000 for more fireworks be used to lessen ’the impact of the shortage of Christmas lighting features in the North Quay area’.