THE banning of high-powered fireworks which are as loud as a ‘jet engine’ has been supported by Dudley Council.

Councillors passed a motion this week to lobby government to make category three rockets and mortars illegal after hearing claims they are a danger to the community.

The authority backed the call by Conservative councillor for Halesowen North,  Karen Shakespeare, to ban the sale of the loudest pyrotechnics which she said are randomly let off ‘night after night.’

Arguing for a ban, she said they caused noise levels as high as 120 decibels which she described as being, “painful to the human ear and equivalent to a jet engine taking off."

She added: “Safety advice for category three fireworks state you must be 25 metres away, that’s 82 foot all round.

“The fire service would support a total ban on fireworks as they are unsafe by their very nature and there have been numerous incidents across the country of fireworks putting our dedicated fire fighters at further risk.”

Cllr Shakespeare added they are now sold all year round and caused distress to vulnerable people and animals, while policing the present laws was an ‘impossible task.’

She argued if the government didn’t support an outright ban, local councils should be allowed  to pass their own by-laws.

Cllr  Cathryn Bayton, Labour member for Kingswinford, supporting the motion agreed police couldn’t deal with existing laws which make it illegal to use fireworks after 11pm.

She added reductions in council funding also made it difficult for trading standards officers to enforce regulations and suggested the legal age they can be bought be raised from 18 to 21 .

Calling for more government money, she said: “Whatever regulation we have, it is only effective if we have the necessary funding and resources for all the enforcement agencies to make sure those laws are carried out.”