Everyone loves a pyrotechnic display around Bonfire Night – not to mention New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year. As long as The Firework Code is observed of course. And some of the facts are almost as spectacular as the fireworks.
Stand well back and take a look:
- In 2014-15 4,506 people in England visited A&E with fireworks-related injuries, an 111% increase since 2009/10
- Three burning sparklers together reach the same temperature as a blowtorch
- At family back garden displays sparklers cause more injuries than rockets, bangers, air bombs and Roman candles combined
- A rocket travels at up to 150 miles per hour and can ascend to a height of 200 metres
- The most common firework injuries are to hands and faces, especially eyes
- 40% of firework injuries in 2015 were caused by illegal fireworks
- 45% of firework injuries happen to under 14s
- The maximum fine for throwing a firework is £5000
- Over 130 million fireworks are sold in Britain each year
- St Peter’s School in York, attended by Guy Fawkes in 1570, is the only place in England that refuses to celebrate 5th November
- 90% of all the world’s fireworks are made in China
- The biggest firework display in Europe is at the Edinburgh Festival, with a million fireworks going off in less than an hour
- Static electricity can set off fireworks, so firecracker makers only wear cotton clothing
