As the wedding season gets into full swing the CLA in the North is calling for tighter controls over the use of Chinese Lanterns.

The wire framed lanterns – which lift into the air with a lighted candle inside them – have become a popular addition to wedding festivities but the CLA says that people need to understand the threat they pose to livestock, crops, forestry and moorland.

The problem is that the paper lanterns burn out leaving the wire frames to fall to earth. It is impossible to predict exactly where they will land as they can fly for several miles and reach an altitude of over 1,000 feet.

One CLA member recently lost a pedigree cow found after it ate part of a bamboo-covered wire frame – one of several to have landed in the same field. With sales of the lanterns reported to have reached 100,000 last year the CLA says this represents an immense potential for damage.

CLA Regional Surveyor Helen Lancaster said: “The start of the wedding season happens to coincide with silage and hay making time. If the wire from these lanterns get into livestock feed it would pose a threat to animals and could cause serious injury or death.

“But even more worrying is the threat of devastation to the countryside caused by a fire. As we know from bitter experience, it does not take much to start a moorland fire in dry weather. Having thousands of candles flying over the countryside is a recipe for disaster.

“Chinese lanterns may be romantic and may look very pretty, but people who propose to celebrate by sending lit candles floating off into the sky should understand the potential fire and animal health threat they are releasing. And they must understand the potential consequences of their actions.

“We think this is a genuine health and safety issue. Biodegradable frames have been suggested as an alternative to wire – but whatever manufacturers do they cannot eliminate the fire risk and that, in itself, surely poses sufficient threat to justify banning the use of these lanterns”.