THE anti-social use of fireworks on Ilkley Moor will not be tolerated and those responsible face a heavy personal cost, police and fire chiefs have warned.

In recent weeks several incidents of fireworks being set off in the area of the Cow and Calf late at night have been reported to police. They attended an incident on January 11 but found no one present on arrival.

Now police are urging any local residents who have information regarding the anti-social use of fireworks to report them so police can attend and investigate accordingly.

Sergeant Jonathan Conlon of Keighley Neighbourhood Policing team said: “We have received reports of anti-social use of fireworks in the area around The Cow and Calf.

“This will not be tolerated, and we welcome any information from local residents about this matter which may assist us in addressing it.

“Anyone with information can contact Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team via 101 or by using the live chat function on the website www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat”

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Bradford District Commander Benjy Bush said: “Setting off fireworks on moorland is a hugely dangerous and irresponsible thing to do, and could lead to widespread damage. We have Public Space Protection Orders in place for our moorland in West Yorkshire banning flammable items like fireworks. We’ve seen large fires on moors across West Yorkshire in recent years, including in Ilkley, and we want to stop this happening again.

“Fireworks, and other flammable items can cause huge blazes on moorland which can put human life at risk, destroy wildlife and cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to the taxpayer in tackling these fires and repairing the damage.

“Earlier this month a man was jailed for 12 months for setting off a firework on Marsden Moor – so there could be a heavy cost to you personally as well as the cost to our fire service and the local area.

“Our message is clear – do not take anything flammable on to our moorland.”

A Bradford Council spokesperson, said: “Lighting fireworks on our moorland is clearly a breach of the PSPO which also prohibits sky lanterns, barbecues and campfires on the moors and we have numerous sign to warn of this. We’d like to remind people of the serious consequences of wildfire on our moorland, which not only destroys precious peatland habitat but can land perpetrators behind bars, they are also liable to face a fine of up to £2000. Only the other week someone was jailed for 12 months for a wildfire they started accidentally while using fireworks on Marsden Moor.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) has received confirmation from local residents that fireworks are being discharged on the moor at night.

“Clearly it is not just adversely affecting a few - it is quite widely spread,” she said. “The fireworks I am told cover a wide time scale - it seems to be about an hour. These incidents are after midnight and at times up to 2am. They are not just an isolated event but appear to have happened over three to four weekends.

“I hope the police will be able to stop them in future and hopefully publicity will restrain the perpetrators.”