A rocketing success! (From The Bolton News)

A rocketing success!

A MIDLANDS anti-fireworks campaigner has praised our fight to ban the sale of explosives to the public.

News of our hugely successful campaign is fast spreading across the country, already reaching Derby.

And it has prompted one woman Sue Williams, who has launched her own crusade, AFFA - All Fireworks Frighten Animals - to contact us.

Sue launched her campaign last year after a friend's border collie dog was killed after it bolted in front of traffic after a firework exploded nearby.

During the last 12 months she has pulled in 4,000 letters of support herself and says the last couple of weeks has seen a huge increase in public response.

But referring to our petition which has so far collected nearly 4,100 signatures, Sue said: "This is phenomenal. At the moment I have got about the same number of signatures but I hope to double that. There's been an overwhelming response to it all.

"My phone has never stopped ringing in recent weeks. I've had people contact me from Glasgow to Cornwall who are sick to the back teeth at the length of time fireworks are on sale.

"Everyone I have spoken to would like to see them banned and just organised displays run instead."

Sue says she has had reports of terrified animals nationwide suffering as massive explosions rocked their neighbourhoods.

Her claims are backed-up by floods of correspondence from worried Bolton pet owners who have spent weeks comforting their dogs and cats, with some pets having to be sedated.

And Sue shares our concerns that the fireworks blight will stretch into the Millennium celebrations.

Anyone who would like to offer their support to Sue's campaign can write to her at: Sue at AFFA, 57 Shropshire Avenue, Derby, DE21 6EW.

We will also continue to offer people the chance to sign copies of our petition which will remain on our front counter until the New Year.

Any extra signatures gathered will be forwarded to Bolton Council who have already received 3,558 names on our petition.

The completed document will also be presented to consumer affairs minister Dr Kim Howells MP.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.