"It’s time to ground sky lanterns for good" - Laurie Norris, North Riding County Adviser, NFU North East

After a long running campaign by the National Farmers’ Union to secure a widespread ban on the release of sky lanterns, 160 councils across the country have already taken action and banned them from council-owned land.
By Sophie McCandlish
Published 31st Oct 2020, 06:00 BST
The NFU says it is time to "ground sky lanterns for good".The NFU says it is time to "ground sky lanterns for good".
The NFU says it is time to "ground sky lanterns for good".

In Yorkshire, the number was just eight, despite the rural nature of the county, with world famous landscapes, wildlife and farm animals all at risk from the dangers lanterns pose.

Last week Richmondshire District Council decided a ban was the right course of action. Their move has been widely welcomed by the local farming community, coming as it does ahead of Bonfire Night and the New Year celebrations.

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These small hot air balloons can float for miles before they fall to the ground – often still alight. Depending where they land, they can pose a serious fire risk to everything from thatched roofs to farm barns with animals inside at this time of year.

In the summer, they threaten important habitats such as the moorlands, where fires can cause such devastation. They also present a serious litter nuisance.

Livestock farmers are particularly keen to collect every lantern they see because the remnants can cause considerable suffering to animals especially if eaten. Fragments of wire can tear or puncture animals’ insides leading to serious, and potentially life-threatening health problems. It’s impossible to find all the remnants of lanterns, so some inadvertently can find their way into animal feed.

Public support for a ban is growing. Earlier this year an initiative encouraging lantern releases in support of the NHS was abandoned after a public outcry – echoed by the National Fire Chiefs Council. And the NFU’s online campaign tool has been used by more than 7,000 people to contact their council and express their concerns.

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We need to see many more councils taking action against lanterns.

The RSPCA’s photograph of a dead barn owl tangled up in a lantern frame highlights all too clearly the dangers they pose.

The NFU’s online campaign goes on and is an easy way for people to support calls for a ban. It’s time to ground sky lanterns for good.

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Related topics:YorkshireRSPCA