PRUDHOE Town Council has called for more education on the safe use of fireworks as calls to ban non-organised displays intensifies.

The council is considering writing to Hexham’s MP to lobby for a ban on the sale of fireworks – but some councillors couldn’t agree to the measure.

Coun. Bryan Futers argued that people used fireworks privately for a variety of reasons.

He said: “It’s one thing saying we’re going to write to the local MP and change the law, but what has to be looked at is the reasons for using fireworks.

“It used to just be November 5, and then New Year’s Eve and then somebody’s special event.

“I think the council need to watch what they’re asking the MP to do. It will upset people in Prudhoe.”

But Coun. Jennifer McGee argued that fireworks now had far more power than they used to.

She said: “The fireworks we have today are not like the ones we had. They’re more like explosives.

“They’re much more dangerous than what we had when I was young. Judging by a lot of the public’s view they’ve been going off pretty regularly in the run-up to November 5.”

The council also heard that a display was held at Highfield field without permission.

Councillors agreed to write to the MP arguing for more education on safely using fireworks, but stopped short of asking for a ban.