Police's plea ahead of fireworks season

Police in Tameside are appealing for the community to let them know about the sale of any illegal fireworks as they clamp down on anti-social behaviour.    

Officers will be out in force, along with the council, to monitor the sale of fireworks from premises, but say they specifically want to hear about any backstreet traders and even people selling illegal fireworks from the boots of their cars.  

Lee Broadstock, Chief inspector of Tameside district neighbourhoods, explained why they were taking action.  

He told Tameside Radio presenter Sarah Hall: “Historically, Tameside – in particular the St Peter’s part of Ashton – has been an area which has caused us real concern, not just in Tameside but it was the second highest in Greater Manchester for firework-related incidents three years ago.  

“And over the past three years, we’ve targeted enforcement action and proactive visible policing in that area to reduce it over the last two to three years and we’ll be doing that again this year.”  

The chief inspector is also appealing to everyone to abide by the Covid-19 rules in an effort to reduce anti-social behaviour in the run-up to the fireworks season.    

He is urging everyone to stay up to date with the latest coronavirus regulations to help neighbourhood officers in their work.  

“My biggest area of concern at the minute is around Covid and Covid compliance and enforcement,” he explained.  

“It is the main area of focus for my neighbourhood teams. That does link to anti-social behaviour at the minute at the start of firework season and the use of fireworks as weapons.  

“But if we all complied with Covid, we shouldn’t see people out in groups causing anti-social behaviour and then using fireworks as weapons.  

“Please keep up to date through GMP and through Tameside Council around what the guidance, protocols and procedures are and please abide to them.”