Sussex Police - what you need to know about the law surrounding fireworks

Ewhusrt and Staplecross bonfire 2018. Photo by Frank Copper SUS-181028-095053001

With people across Hastings and Rother set to celebrate Bonfire Night tonight, these are the laws surrounding the use of fireworks and when you can let them off according to Sussex Police.

SEE ALSO: local man caught up in armed police incidentIt is an offence to:

possess adult fireworks (all fireworks except category 1 fireworks - party poppers, sparklers, throwdowns etc) in a public place by anyone under the age of 18;

possess category 4 fireworks (professional display fireworks) by anyone other than a fireworks professional;

it is illegal to supply adult fireworks to those under 18; and to throw or cast or fire any firework in or into any highway, street, thoroughfare or public space (this would include throwing or firing from a private place into a public place, street, highway etc);

It is illegal to light any fire or discharge any firework (without lawful authority or excuse) within 50 feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and as a consequence the highway is damaged.

There is a curfew on the use of adult fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on; Bonfire night (when the curfew is between 12midnight and 7am);

New Years Eve (when the curfew is between 1am and 7am); Chinese New Year (when the curfew is between 1am and 7am);

Diwali night (when the curfew is between 1am and 7am).

The penalties for using fireworks outside the above curfew hours are imprisonment (maximum 6 months) and a substantial fine.

Please note, you could also commit offences if they were being used to cause a nuisance.