AFTER being ridiculed by people on social media, I'm really annoyed at the attitude of a lot of people regarding fireworks.

I'm not against them altogether, but I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that will agree that there are too many going off these days, at all hours and for prolonged periods.

As with anything, advancements in design etc has resulted in louder and brighter displays that are far superior to what we witnessed over the last few decades.

Years ago, depending what day November 5 fell on, we would have a lot of organised displays on the Saturday before and after the fifth, as well as the night itself, so that charitable causes could make the most of their display to benefit the local community.

Nowadays, it's got out of hand. It seems to go on for more than two weeks in November, and can last into the small hours.

On New Year's Eve, we endured approximately seven hours of them and again the following two nights.

It's not only animals that can be affected. People can too, and it can trigger off episodes of PTSD.

I'm not saying to ban them altogether, but more regulation on them so at least people can prepare if need be.

A lot of injuries are caused each year from incidents, which places an unnecessary strain on our NHS.

Either displays by licensed events only, or a law dictating days and times.

It'll only be a matter of time before a serious incident occurs and it'll certainly be a 'stable door' reaction.

The true meaning of why we have Bonfire Night has long been lost along the way.

DONNA SMITH
Taunton