Warning after four-foot firework lands in Blackburn garden (From This Is Lancashire)

This possibly answers one mystery then re 'four quite large biodegradable hot air balloons'. But you said only four? I saw at least ten rising up from your general direction, sailing approximately southwards and, indeed, towards Darwen tower. Well, I actually saw what I thought were fast moving aircraft at different speeds TBH initially then worked out it was either some kind of Chinese Lantern or, as I later googled, something called 'Sky Lanterns' which are sold in packs of ten. So did you miscount, then, because I saw about 10 - I thought maybe 1 for each year of the last decade, perhaps? - rising up, sometimes in twos, or ones. It was a nice thing to see but then I did worry over air traffic and what may have happened if an aircraft had collided with one. That's not a silly comment BTW, but often people don't appreciate how even small things can damage an aircraft. Only you are complaining about the firework, which is reasonable but ... does anyone have to get permission to set these 'hot air balloons' off or even warn any aviation authority in the area? Just so any aircraft (police helicopter's over Darwen every other night, sadly) would know they were in the airspace?

But as you said four, I must assume someone else was setting those orange, flickering globes (distance making them appear that shape) off into the cloudy sky above Darwen (but coming from your way or general direction, I could see through the woods).

So, on the one hand, we have you setting off these, although nice to look at, air balloons and then the four foot firework. Both are equally as dangerous.

And in the grand coincidence of things, two such things hit your property over periods of celebration. Hmmm.

But like I said I saw considerably more than four such glowing light sources rising from the ground, some moving faster with the airflow as they rose, some more slowly, before fading out after several minutes. Or there were two in the Darwen area with the same idea. Which would mean one set six off, you set four off. Sky Lanterns, BTW, are sold in packs of ten.

I was actually going to say you are wasting your time telling anyone to stop messing round with fireworks. Then I read, thought more on what I'd seen which matches the time in the report and wind direction. I can't be the only person in the area to have seen this display. Initially, I went to look out of the back to see the coming fireworks, after watching the spectacular London Eye display at midnight. I liked the 'balloon' display but ... you can't have it both ways. Yours could have caused problems for any low flying aircraft (there are plenty in this area, commercial, private or otherwise) for example. And has probably led to a spate of 'UFO' sightings amongst those who choose to believe what they are seeing isn't natural but MUST be from outerspace. Just to balance this out.

These sort of fireworks should be banned, i had the misfortune to find what sounds like the same thing sticking out of the smashed grille of my car on the morning of november the 6th , around 4ft long with a large metal head where the explosive had been...and the first thing i thought was 'what if it had hit someones head' does not bare thinking about ...these are not fireworks they are motar bombs

Cat 3 25m large single display firework rockets are indeed legal to buy and use;there should be additional warnings and directions on the labels about not using them in built in areas.